There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love
by Catium
Summary: What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened. Disclaimer: Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money.
1. Dumbledore's Death

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **No one I read it over my self  
**Rating:** PG – 13 (for now).  
**Word Count: **(This chapter)  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **(For now) Language.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

**There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love**

**Chapter. 1 – Dumbledore's Death And The Escape From Hogwarts**

**He looked at Dumbledore while he was speaking, although he didn't hear anything that he was saying. It was dawning on him that he wouldn't be able to do it, despite everything that he had put himself through. He wouldn't be able to kill Dumbledore and since he wouldn't be able to kill Dumbledore… he would be as good as dead.**

All of sudden he was yanked out of these thoughts, when what Dumbledore had been saying managed to sink in.

Dumbledore had been saying something about he had knew about his mission, but had been afraid to speak of it until now, fearing that Him would use Legilimency against him. But now they could speak plainly with each other. No harm had been done, he hadn't hurt nobody, though he had been lucky that his unintentional victims had survived. Then he added

"I can help you, Draco".

"No you can't,"

Draco said and realized that his wand hand was shaking. A lot.

"Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I have no choice."

Draco sincerely hoped that the hysteria in his voice had been his imagination but not real.

"Come over to the right side, Draco", he heard Dumbledore say, "and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban... when the time comes we can protect him too. Come over to the right side, Draco. You're not a killer."

Draco stared at Dumbledore and couldn't believe his ears. Dumbledore had been offering him a protection. Him who had been given the mission to kill him. Him who came from a family, where everyone until now, had either been Death Eaters or agreed to The Dark Lords ideas.

"But I got this far, didn't I?" he said slowly. "They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here and you're in my power. I'm the one with the wand. You're at my mercy."

"No Draco", he heard Dumbledore say quietly. "It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

Draco couldn't say anything. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. His wand hand was still trembling. All of sudden he made up his mind. He lowered his wand tiny bit. He was going to accept Dumbledore's offer about protection, about joining, like Dumbledore had said, the right side. Not just because of him, but because of his family. Because of her. He loved her so much. He couldn't let her join the Dark Lord, like the rest of the family. He just knew that if hecouldn't follow the Dark Lord orders about committing murder, then how would she be able to do it? She wasn't even…

Draco was all of sudden brought back to the reality when he heard footsteps coming closer. Then he was pushed aside when four persons in black robes came running through the door on to the ramparts.

"No", Draco said so low that nobody heard him. It was to late. He couldn't accept Dumbedore's offer now, he would have to finish the mission that he had been assigned.

Then Draco started looking at whom it had been who had interrupted this important moment. But he didn't have to, Dumbledore saved him the trouble and he heard him saying.

"Good evening, Amycus, and you've brought Alecto too, charming."

Draco could also see that Fenrir Greyback was there along with the fourth man that he didn't know the name of. He heard that Dumbledore was speaking to Alecto and Amycus and then to Greyback but he wasn't really listening. He didn't care for what they were saying. That didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. Now it was to late for him to turn back. The path that he had chosen was now closed up behind him. He would have to go on, on that path that he knew would lead to nothing but more murders and bad deeds for the Dark Lord. He would be just like his father. A Death Eater. He should have said no. Should have said no to Him when he gave him this mission. Do the right thing and dying knowing that he had done the right thing. But he had chosen the easy way. What Dumbledore had said during his fourth year had come true. He had been forced to choose between what is right, and what is easy and he had chosen the easy way. Chosen to life his live as a bad person, instead of dying for the right cost. He saw it now. What Dumbledore and the Order were doing was the right thing. This was wrong. What he was doing was so wrong.

Draco heard that the talk has been directed to him. Dumbledore had said he was shocked that he would invite Fenrir Greyback into the school where his friends live.

"I didn't," Draco said and tried to look anywhere else but at Greyback. "I didn't know he was going to come."

Greyback said something more but Draco wasn't listening.

Then the stranger starting to speak and said

"No. We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly."

Draco looked at Dumbledore's face, which was pale and much lower than usual, since he had slid so far down the rampart wall.

Dumbledore and two of the Death Eaters exchanged more word.

Amycus said, "Come on, Draco, do it!"

But at that moment, Draco heard sounds from below.

A voice said, "_They've blocked the stairs – Reducto! REDUCTO!_

"Now, Draco, quickly!" the stranger repeated.

Then Draco made his decision. He would have to do this. He didn't have a choice. This wasn't just about his own life, but about Snape's life too. He had swore the unbreakable vow, swore to help him finish his mission, even though he had known that if he didn't complete it then he would be dead. This was also about the life of his family. His mom and dad and…If he would accept Dumbledore's offer about protection and if Dumbledore would survive this night, then he wouldn't only been singing his one death sentence but also the death sentence of four others people. If this was about killing Dumbledore and saving his live and four others life's. Or not killing Dumbledore and then risking his own life and four others life's. Then the choice was easy.

He raised his wand but his hand was shaking so badly that he couldn't aim properly.

"I'll do it," Greyback said and starting walking towards Dumbledore.

"I said no!" the stranger said and used a spell to blast the werewolf into the wall.

"Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us..."

Alecto said. But at that precise moment the door opened again to the ramparts and Snape was there, holding his wand in his hand. Draco saw Snape looking around at the scene before him, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the other four Death Eaters, including the werewolf and finally looking at him.

"We've got a problem, Snape," Amycus said who was both looking at and pointing his wand at Dumbledore, "the boy doesn't seem able..."

"Severus" someone said and Draco couldn't believe his own ears. Dumbledore was begging, he really was begging.

Snape didn't say anything but then Draco felt himself being pushed aside and Snape walked in front of him. The other Death Eaters stepped aside without saying anything.

Draco could see the way Snape was looking at Dumbledore, his face just screaming hate and repulsion.

"Severus…please…"

Draco couldn't believe this, wouldn't believe this. "It can't be, no, I don't believe this", he said oh so quietly. Dumbledore that even Him was afraid of, seemed to be frightened by Snape and was begging him.

Then like in a nightmare, Draco watched when Snape raised his wand and pointed it at Dumbledore.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

A flash of green light was shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore in the middle of his chest. Draco had to restrain himself so he wouldn't scream. He watched, helpless, when Dumbledore blasted into the air, hanging there for a split second, before starting to fall backwards, over the battlements and out of sight.

Draco didn't get any time to process what had just happened.

"Out of here, quickly,"

Snape said and then Draco felt Snape grab him by the scruff of his neck and push him through the door and down the stair. The others followed.

He heard someone behind him say "_Petrificus Totalus!"_ and someone else falling down, probably the one hit by the curse, though he didn't knew how had cast the curse or how had got hit by it. Although he thought he recognized the voice of whom that had thrown the curse.

On they went down the stair and when they came to the hall below the stair, Draco saw how the hall was filled with dust. Half the ceiling seemed to have fallen down. A battle was racing but Draco couldn't see, because of the dust, who was fighting whom. Snape dragged him through the hall and managed buy some strike of luck to get through without anyone trying to stop them. He heard someone saying that the Room of Requirement had been closed so it was no way they were getting out that way.

When they reached the corner, Snape turned around and screamed,

"It's over, time to go,"

Then he turned around and was on the move again. Still holding tightly on to the scruff of Draco's neck, so he was forced to follow.

They ran away and the sounds from the battle starting to diminish until they vanished completely, but the battle went on despite Snape's order that it was time to go.

They kept running and didn't meet anyone except some students how had probably, like the whole castle, Draco thought, woken up when the ceiling fell down, and decided to check and see what was going on. He was surprised though that no one had tried to stop them jet, not even the Order members how had been in the battle. Then he remembered that Snape had told him that the Order thought he was spying for it on the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. Some students tried to stop them, when they saw a teacher, trying to get explanation on what was going on and it everything wasn't all right. But Snape just kept running and if they weren't quick enough in stepping away, he simply ran them down.

When they got close to the Marble Staircase and the Entrance Hall, Draco saw a terrifying sight; the oak front doors were locked and would not open easily.

"_Now they will catch us for sure,"_ Draco thought, _"I just know it."_

But Snape kept running and starting to go down the Marble Staircase. He lifted his wand, aimed and screamed some curse. He missed. The curse hit the Gryffindor Hourglass instead, which exploded with a thud, and the rubies started to fall out of it. Few students who were standing there in their pajamas, Draco saw they were Rawneclaws and Slytherins, screamed when the glass fragments rained over them and cut few of them.

Snape swore silently, aimed again and this time he hit the doors and they opened but didn't blow up like the hourglass.

They ran across the Entrance Hall and out. But their trouble didn't end there. Now Hagrid appeared out of his cabinet. Snape kept running and ran past him. Again no one tried to stop them. Hagrid didn't seem to realize what was going on. Then he saw the Dark mark and seemed to come to a realization.

He screamed so loudly that Draco's ears hurt,

"Your traitor, that you could do this after everything Dumbledore has done for you."

Snape Ignored him and kept on running. Draco ran with him forced, like before, but turned his head to see what was going on behind them and saw, to his horror that Hagrid was going to stop them.

Then he got hit by a curse and Draco saw that a blond Death Eater that he didn't know, started to throw curse, after curse at Hagrid how seemed like he didn't even feel them.

"_Probably because of his Giant blood,"_ Draco thought.

Then he saw another person far, far away, how he thought he recognized and unintentionally he connected the voice he had heard in the tower sending the curse on one of the Death Eaters to that person in the distant, and then he realized. It was Potter, he had been in the Astronomy Tower the whole time. The whole time during his encounter with Dumbledore. But why he hadn't seen Potter and why Potter hadn't trying to stop him from killing Dumbledore, Draco didn't understand. Possibly he had been under some kind of a spell from Dumbledore, to stopping him from reacting, stopping him in getting hurt and Dumbledore had sacrificed his own life to make sure Potter didn't get hurt. That was probably the reason why Dumbledore had, had his wand in the air but hadn't reacted as soon as Draco came into the ramparts.

"_That is so like Dumbledore," _he thought, _"wanting to make sure like always that nothing would happen to his favorite. Was… was so like him"_, he corrected himself, and a shudder went through his body. Dumbledore was really dead. He could hardly believe it.

Then, a curse went right past Snape's head.

Potter had thrown it.

Snape let go of Draco and stopped, Draco stopped too and looked at him.

"Go on Draco, run, run through the gate and Disapparate yourself away, you know where we were going to meat.

Draco just stared at him and asked

"What are you going to do with him?"

"Nothing," Snape answered.

Draco still stood there motionless and stared at him, he didn't belive him.

"Seriously Draco," Snape said louder, sounding annoyed, "nothing, he belongs to the Dark Lord and whoever who would do anything to him. Anything serious," he added, "would be immediately punished."

"Run, Draco," he screamed and sounded really angry.

Draco reacted right away, turned a round and starting to run, cursing himself.

"That was really stupid," he said ashamed of himself, "you made it sound like

you give a damn about what will happen to Potter."

_"But you do care, don't you?"_ a little voice was saying inside of himself, _"you don't want him to die anymore than you wanted Dumbledore to die."_

"That's not true," he argued with himself, "I did want Dumbledore dead and I do want Potter dead. I hate them. Both. I…I. I just couldn't kill him myself, that's it. I just need more practice, that's it. The next time I will be given the mission to kill someone then I will do it, then I will have rehearsed more and then I'll be able to do it. Then I'll be ready."

Draco ran the last few steps outside the gates and turned around. He saw Snape's back and Potter facing him, his face filled with hate, while he tried to send curse after curse at Snape, how blocked them all.

That was the last thing he saw.

One second before he Disapparated the little voice, who he thought he had beaten in the discussion, added.

"_But you didn't want him dead and you don't want Potter dead either. You don't need any more practice, you have more practice than your father did before he killed his first. You were ready, you just don't have it in you to kill people. You are not like your father. Not in any way. You didn't hate Dumbledore. You don't hate Potter. It's the contrary. Am I right?" _the little voice asked who wasn't so little anymore.

Draco had to admit himself defeated.

"Yes," he sighed, "this is right, all of it. But especially that last one. I don't hate Potter. On the contrary."

His eyes got bigger in surprise, when he realized what he had just said.

"No" he sighed.

But at that exact moment, the Disapparation took place. He felt that weird feeling that always came with Apparation, and Hogwarts, the scenery before him disappeared.

He disappeared and nothing was left, except the pressed down grass, which bore witness that someone had been standing there, just one second before.

TBC

Author's note: Review and tell me what you thought.


	2. Raising the Alarm

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **No one, I read it over my self  
**Rating:** PG – 13.  
**Word Count: **4822  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Can been seen on the  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Draco and Snape go to Voldemort to tell him about Dumbledore's death. What will happen read and find out

**Author's note: **Thanks to the 149 people who have read and special thanks to paigeey07 and thrnbrooke who reviewed chapter 1.

**There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love**

Chapter 2. Raising The Alarm

The next thing Draco knew, he was standing in a middle of a clearing. The clearing was surrounded by trees and in the edge of it stood an old house in the Victorian error style. This was the place The Dark Lord had told the Death Eaters to come too when the mission was over. Although the house looked like it was in the middle of a forest somewhere, Draco knew it was a park in one of the suburban in London and it was in a muggle area. Draco hoped that no one had seen them. Although he doubted it, it was the middle of the night and all the muggles probably asleep.

Draco took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down and started to walk slowly towards the house. He knew that if he was going to come alive out of this house again, then he was going to have to calm his mind. But it wasn't easy. He just couldn't believe Dumbledore was dead. And what was even more unbelievable was that it hadn't been him who killed Dumbledore, but Snape. The Dark Lord would not be pleased with that. The Dark Lord would punish him and Snape, for disobeying orders. The Dark Lord had made it perfectly clear that Dumbledore would die tonight and it should be Draco how killed him. It was possible that since Dumbledore was dead, he and Snape would survive disobeying The Dark Lord but not without punishment. Unfortunately there was no way telling how the Dark Lord responses would be. That was the reason why Draco was trying to calm himself down. He wouldn't be able to resist The Dark Lord Legilimency without his mind being completely calm. Empty of emotions. He wouldn't be able to lie right in The Dark Lord's face, that he killed Dumbledore, if the pictures of Snape killing him would be in the top of his mind. He would have to rearrange the pictures so The Dark Lord would see what Draco wanted Him to see.

Draco knew that Snape would participle in the lie with him. Snape would know that despite Dumbledore being dead, they would be punished for the disobeying The Dark Lord's orders and that was something that Snape would try to avoid as much as possible. So Snape would participle in the lie. It was no doubt about that.

Draco came to the door of the old house and knocked. The door was opened. Draco saw a small man, much smaller than himself, with watery eyes and a nose that reminded him of a rat nose and a bold spot in the mud brown hair, who stared at him with suspicion in his eyes. After a moment he seemed to recognize Draco, although Draco knew that they had never met before, and yanked him inside. When the rat like man had dragged Draco inside and behind himself, he looked out the door, like he was making sure no one had been watching and closed the door after doing so.

Draco couldn't hold himself back and said,

"No one was following me, if you thing so and I sincerely doubt that any muggle is around now, in the middle of the night."

"The muggles are around in the most unlikely times and places", the rat like man said and his voice reminded Draco at a mouse squeaking.

"Only yesterday", he continued, "we had to kill one of the muggles, he saw one of us Apparate over here, and that was at four o'clock in the night. The muggles are always running through this park, dressed in really weird clothing, when doing so. I don't have a clue what they are doing or what is the purpose of this running around and frankly I don't care. As long as they are not around when we are Apparating and see everything, then I don't care a bit."

Draco didn't have a respond to this little speech and instead he said.

"I've come to let The Dark Lord know how the mission went, is he here?"

"Yes of course," the man answered. "He is upstairs right now waiting for news of the mission. So how did it go?" The man asked.

"Now, now Wormstail, you know better than be asking that question." An ice-cold voice said.

Wormstail turned around and saw Voldemort coming down the stair, bowed and mumbled

"My Lord, I'm sorry, I was inpatient to hear about how the mission went and curiosity got the better of my. Of course you are supposed to now first how the mission went. I'm sorry." He said again and withdrew himself into the corner.

"This little incident is forgotten, Wormstail, for now. You will get your punishment for the curiosity later. You know very well that I want the words of the mission first, and no one is going to take that pleasure away from me".

"So…", Voldemort said, who had stopped right in front of Draco and now turned his attention towards Draco.

"How did it go?"

Draco forced himself to look up and into that deadly white face of Voldemort and into this piercing read eyes. He thought very hard of the image of himself holding his wand and of Dumbledore, getting hit by that green flash, lifting up in the air and falling over the battlements.

Draco opened his mouth and starting to say, "He…"

"Is dead", a voice cut in front of him.

Draco turned around and saw Snape walking in from the next room. A doubt crept up on Draco and he felt like he was going to throw up.

Snape was going to face punishment and take the credit of Dubledore's death to himself. Draco all of sudden just knew that he was dead. The Dark Lord would not want a Death Eater in his service that couldn't follow orders and it would be of no purpose for Him to keep Draco alive.

"Draco…"

Snape said and Draco paled visibly and watched Snape with terror.

"..did a incredible job killing the old fool. Dumbledore believed until the very end that Draco was not going to do it. He even offered Draco and his family a protection, if Draco would join the Order."

Draco could not believe what he was hearing. Snape hadn't taken the credit for Dumbledore's murder. Snape was lying at the Dark Lord without blinking an eye and risking being killed if he was caught. Then the relief poured over Draco, if he could just keep his thoughts calms for a while longer and show Him what He wanted to see, then he, Draco, would be safe.

Voldemort looked Snape in the eyes and Draco saw that He was using Legilemency on Snape. For the longest time they looked each other in the eyes. After, what Draco thought was eternity, but was really just two minutes, Voldemort broke the eye contact.

Voldemort looked at Draco and Draco tried to stay calm, knowing what was coming. But it seemed that He had gotten all the evidence that He needed from Snape, because He just simply looked at Draco, but did not look him in the eyes. Then, to Draco's amazement, He smiled, a smile that made Draco feel as if everything inside of him had frozen, and made him feel even worse.

"Well done, Draco."

"Th...tha...thank, you my Lord."

Draco managed to stutter and deep inside he didn't really feel bad anymore, rather he was jumping up and down in joy and not believing his luck. The Dark Lord had believed everything that Snape had shown Him and He wasn't even going to interrogate Draco anymore, Draco was safe.

"Snape…"Voldemort said and turned his attention back on Snape, "when the others arrives I want you and them to come up to my room immediately, there I'm going to hear their version of tonight's events and then I'm going to make a decision whet ever young Malfoy here is ready to join us."

Snape bowed in agreement and said

"Yes my Lord, immediately."

Voldemort turned around and went up the stair, without uttering another word at Wormstail or mentioning his punishment, but Draco had a feeling that Wormstail would be punished sooner or later. Then Draco realized what Voldemort had said. He wanted the others version of tonight's events. They would of course tell Him that it had been Snape not Draco that had killed Dumbledore and then Draco would be dead. Draco's relive turned into a pure panic one more time.

It seemed that Snape hadn't realized that possibility, Draco de sited to risk it all and said up loud to Snape.

"Snape I need to have a word with you, ehhmmm… in private."

He added and saw how Wormstail, who was still in the room looked at them, curiosity showing in his eyes.

Snape realizing what this was about, said to Wormtail.

"Wormtail I suggest that you go up to our Lord now, I'm sure that he would like to use this spare moment that he's got know to punish you for your curiosity. It looks like to me that He might have forgotten about it or else He would have done it already. You know how angry He gets when He remembers about a punishment that He has forgotten about and no one has reminded him of it. So if you do not wish for a harder punishment than the one already waiting for you, then I suggest that you go and get your punishment now."

Wormstail looked utterly unpleased and wondering how Snape had known about the punishment, but he seemed to realize the truth in Snapes words and went up the stairs without another word.

When Wormstail was gone, Snape turned around at Draco. Draco opened the mouth but before he could say anything Snape said.

"I know what you're thinking Draco and I've thought up a way to pass this little problem".

"Little", Draco managed to say and couldn't hide how upset he was, "Little", he repeated and his voice was both horse from the long silence and high pitched.

"The others are going to tell The Dark Lord the truth and there is nothing you can do about it and He's going to kill us both for lying to him."

"No", Snape said, "I'll take care of this Draco, don't you worry, now shut up the others are coming".

As soon as Snape went silent, the air was filled with the sound of robes and the Death Eaters that had been in Hogwarts earlier that night appeared, all accept for one, how Draco knew had died in the fight.

"Well", Snape said to the other Death Eaters, who all as one looked at him and Draco how were standing in the middle of the room.

"Your Lord wishes to see you all and me. In his room in the upper floor to hear what you have to say of tonight's events and make a decision about young Draco's…", Snape put his hand on Draco's shoulder, "future here in our organizations."

The other were going to go up the stair but Snape stopped them.

"Wait a minute Amycus, Alecto, Fenrir and Richer, can I have a few words with you."

"The Dark Lord does not like being kept waiting.", said Alecto and sounded a bit irritated.

"This won't take but a moment." Snape answered him. "This is about tonight's

events, which our Lord is going to be asking you about". Snape stopped there and took a deep breath. "When he asks you about what happened at the top of the Astronomy tower, then I want you to lie and tell him Draco killed Dumbledore and he did a fine job doing so".

"What", Richer almost shouted but then he lowered his voice, "lie…to our Lord, what makes you possibly thing we would do such a thing. If he found out that we were lying, he would kill us all."

"You're all very gifted at Occulmency and can without any trouble show Him what He considers the truth, if you wish so. Draco killing Dumbledore".

"We…we can't….he'll kill….", Richer stuttered. The siblings and Greyback seemed too surprised about what Snape was asking of them to speak.

"On the other hand…", Snape interrupted, "if you tell him the truth…"

Now Snape voice got dangerously low and a tiny smirk crept on Draco's lips hearing Snape doing that. This was the same method Snape used all the time in Hogwarts and which all the students were terrified of. That much lowering of the voice always meant something really bad was about to happen, like threats or what the students considered even worse, detention or drawing points.

"If you decide to ignore my request" Snape continued and his voice was not above a whisper. The siblings and Richer clearly knowing the danger of that tone of voice with Snape, paled. Greyback seemed oblivious to what it meant.

"Then my death and Draco's is almost sure to happen. But I'll not go quietly. I will tell Him about what I saw when I came up the stairs and on top of the tower and decided to take matters in my own hands and kill Dumbledore. But that was Draco with his wand in his hand not looking at all likely to be killing Dumbledore any time soon and you lot with your wands but not looking at all like you were about to help him fulfilling the Dark Lord's mission. I thing that He is not going to be pleased with you then and possibly he will de side to get rid of more than two un-loyal Death Eaters at ones.

After what speech Greyback had also gone pale and managed to say.

"You…you…wouldn't…wouldn't….", he stuttered , stopped, swallowed and seemed to calm himself down enough to say in one word, "You'rejustbluffing".

"Maybe, maybe not", Snape said and his well know smirk was on his face.

"But I'm not bluffing with the fact that Lucius and Narcissa will not be pleased with someone they considered friends, playing that big of a part in their child's death, and they are going to be seeking revenge. I would not be surprised if Lucius would break out of Azkaban to seek it."

Threatening them with Lucius and Narcissa on top of Voldemort seemed to do the trick. Greyback, Richer and the siblings looked at each other with defeat. Then they nodded .

"All right Snape, you win", Richer said quietly and weakly, "we will participate in the lie with you. But", he added and his voice got louder and stronger, "if he finds out that we are lying to him, then we will tell him the whole truth and that…and that you threatened us", he said at last weakly.

Snape laughed and said, "Don't worry, if you keep your thoughts calm and focus on what you want Him to see then He is not going to find out anything. Well lets go then", he said and they started going up the stair.

"Draco, stay here", Snape ordered Draco before he disappeared up the stair.

Draco watched Snape and the others going up the stairs and knew that after the meeting his fate would be sealed.

After about a minute or so he heard a footstep, for a moment Draco panicked and thought that He had seen through the lies and was coming to kill him. But when the person responsible for the noise appeared it was just the man the Dark Lord had called Wormstail.

Wormstail was mumbling something too himself, something that Draco couldn't here and he seemed rather irritated. Wormstail looked at Draco with a nasty glare like he wished nothing more than Draco disappearing from the face of the earth.

Draco thought it rather obvious from that attitude that Wormstail had been sent downstairs after his punishment too look after him and Wormstail thought that assignment beneath him.

Now a waiting started that Draco considered twice as worse as the one he had, had to suffer earlier that night and didn't seem to be taken an end. After about half an hour according to Draco's clock, although he thought it was much longer, nothing had been heard from above and Draco how had been trying to look calm because of Wormtail's presence, gave up all act of pretense and started to pace back and forth across the room.

After about another half an hour, Draco could finally hear what he had been waiting for half between hope and fear. A footstep. Going along the hallway and down the stair. By the upper end of the stair a man appeared, who's face Draco couldn't see.

"Come", he said, "Our Lord is waiting for you".

Draco almost ran up the stair and when he came up, the man, who Draco couldn't still recognize because he had put the Death Eater mask on, started to walk down the hallway towards the door at the end of it.

When they came to the door the man opened it and pointed Draco to walk inside, the man followed and closed the door behind him.

The sight that greeted Draco made him feel better already, because it showed without a shadow of a doubt that Draco's fait had been sealed and that he would live.

The room was big and at the moment there were no furniture in it, although Draco knew from his father's stories that a moment ago there must have been a big table there and chairs alongside it. The windows had been drawn over with black curtains and the room had been pitch black if it hadn't been for the fire in the furthest part of the room. Around 30-40 Death Eaters, all of them wearing the black cloaks with the hood up and with the white mask over their faces, stood on the floor but had left a open round space in the middle. There in the middle of the circle, stood Voldemort, also wearing the black cloak and with the hood up, but not wearing the white mask, probably because it would have been difficult finding a mask whiter than his face, by his feet lay a big snake.

Draco's father had told him about this, he had been through the exactly the same thing 24 years ago. This was the Death Eaters entrance ceremony.

Now Voldemort started to speak, "Draco Malfoy", he said, "come here".

Draco walked towards him in slow steps through the Death Eaters crowd, who had made a passage from the door so he could get inside the circle.

When Draco was in the middle of the circle he walked right up to Voldemort, where he stood and stopped only when the snake made it impossible to go any further.

Now Voldemort started to speak again, "Draco Malfoy…", he said, "…you have gotten through the test that everyone has to face who wants to join me. You have killed." Voldemort paused and then said.

"Now I ask you, Draco Malfoy. Do you join this guild with our own free will?"

"Yes", Draco answered and knew that if anyone were stupid enough to answer that question or any other questions that were to follow with a No, that person would be dead in an instant.

"Do you solemnly swear to follow my every order and always see too that my orders are followed?"

"Yes"

"And do you swear to always come to me meeting when I call"?

"Yes"

"And do you swear to never tell anyone about what goes on, on these meetings, not even Death Eaters how are not present"?

"Yes", Draco repeated knowing what would come next.

"Good," Voldemort said, "very good. Bring forth the outfit", he said to the crowd.

Within seconds a bundle was handed forth ward which Voldemort took. He unfolded the bundle and inside it was a full-length cloak with a rather large hood and a snow-white mask with slots for the eyes and nose and a thin mouth. There wasn't any slot for the mouth, but that had a purpose. A Death Eaters voice, with the mask on and no slot to make talking easier, would make others more difficult to tell who the Death Eater was by recognizing his voice.

"Now Draco Malfoy…", Voldemort continued, "…get dressed".

Draco did what he was ordered to and put the cloak on, put on the mask and finally pulled the hood over his head.

When he had finished this he looked back at Voldemort. Voldemort smiled and turned around towards the fireplace. The crowd scattered so Voldemort could walk unhindered and slowly towards the fireplace, he bent over the fireplace and took something out of it that looked like an iron shaft. When he took the iron shaft out of the fire there was something on the other end of it, which Draco couldn't see what was since Voldemort had his back to him. Voldemort raised himself up, turned around and walked back in the same slow pace.

Draco saw what Voldemort was holding and could now understand why his father had never told him exactly about this part of the entrance ceremony, the part when the Dark Mark was put on the soon-to-be Death Eater. His father had not wanted to scare him from becoming a Death Eater himself. Because this was going to hurt. A lot.

Voldemort was holding a brand, the long iron shaft was the place where the person in charge of the branding held it, on the other end was the iron white-hot and obviously forming the Dark Mark, the disgusting scull with snake instead of the tongue.

Now Voldemort was at his side, "hold out your left arm and fold up the sleeve", he ordered.

Remembering the wows he had just sworn, Draco put out his left arm and folded the sleeve. He was just glad he was wearing the mask because then no one would be able to see the looks of suffering that would surely mark his face.

Voldmort grabbed his wrist with one hand and held the brand with the other.

Draco closed his eyes, he simply couldn't watch. He felt when the white-hot brand was pressed on his middle upper arm. The pain was more he had ever felt before (except perhaps when he had been banged in the floor of the Entrance hall looking like a ferret by Mad-Eye during forth year). The extreme pain took over and he closed his eyes and gnashed as hard has he could, to prevent himself from screaming. After a while the heat, pressure and pain diminished. Draco opened his eyes and saw the Dark Mark, which was already black, on his upper left arm.

Draco looked around and saw that everyone was staring at him and Voldemort with great anticipation.

"He is now one of us", Voldemort said and cheering busted out. All as one the Death Eaters took of their masks and came to Draco, shook his hand and welcomed him to the group. A few of them even said to congratulations. Draco thought that was rather ironic considering that being a Death Eater would probably not bring him any happiness in life. Draco was already starting to wish he had said no to the first question Voldemort asked him and allowed himself to be killed.

After a while of more congratulations and "Welcome to the group", Voldemort said "Well that's enough. I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Everyone went dead silence when they heard him.

"Now everyone should leave this room except for Serverus and Draco, I need to talk to them in private."

The room was filled with zips of cloaks when most of the Death Eaters Apparated away but some of them walked out through the door.

When everyone was gone Voldemort made the big table and the chairs reappear. Voldemort took a seat at the end of the table in a chair that looked like a throne. Draco and Snape took a seat on both sides of him.

"This concerns", Voldemort began, "my next plan, which I'm now going to tell you about."

This awoke Draco's interest despite the pain in his arm, and he stared as Voldemort started to let them in on his plan. Draco stared at him in awe the whole time with his mouth more and more open. When Voldemort had finished letting them in on the plan, Draco most resembled a goldfish with his mouth so much open that he almost looked jawless.

"I wanted you to know this first, although there is a long way until the plan is perfect or carried forward…", Voldemort continued and broke the silence that had followed his relation, "…because you two are not going to be around me or the others a lot during the following months. There will be a search after you, it has already started. It's best you go into hiding. Malfoy manor should do the trick. The rest of your family is not Death Eaters and no one is going to think you two stupid enough to hide there. There is still going to be made a search there. Of course. But there are many places in the Malfoy manor nobody knows about, Am I not correct?" He asked Draco.

"Yes there are many more places to hide", Draco said, "although Weasley thinks he has found all of the hiding places just because he discovered the secret room under the drawing room the other year", Draco added.

Voldemort laughed, "Then it's decided. You will go into hiding at the Malfoy manor and you will stay there. When it's time to activate my plane you will be informed and then you are to come to my immediately and help. Is that understood?"

"Yes my Lord", both Draco and Snape said as one.

They both stood up and were making to leave when…

"Wait a minute…", Voldemort said, "…there is one more thing. Despite a perfect hideaway and complete loyalty, I'm still going to make sure you don't snitch if you are caught or forced to take Veritaserum… or something worse. I'm going to use Obliviation charm on you so you will forget everything I've told you about the plan. But when it's time to carry it out you will remember everything and will be able to help, that is if you will still be free men. "

Voldemort pointed his wand towards them and uttered some spell. A flash of light came out of the wand and the plan Draco had just gotten to know was completely forgotten to him. The only thing he and Snape thought Voldemort had discussed was about where he and Snape were to hide and how the arrangement would be around that.

They Apparated to Malfoy manor. It was already morning when they Apparated themselves at the limits of the grounds that belonged to the Malfoy family. They walked along the path towards the manor and it took them about ten minutes to make it to the manor. Someone had clearly raised the alarm about their arrival. When they came to the double cherry tree wood doors, two persons were standing in the doorway. The first one was a grown up women, tall and thin, with long facial features, rather pale skin, silver-blond straight long hair and silver-gray eyes and she was smiling with relief that her only son was alive. The other person was as different from Draco's mother and him self in appearance as one could think. She was just barely in her teens, in her 11'th age year, she was tall considering age and thin, with the same long facial features like everyone in the Malfoy family. But what resembled the Malfoy family in her ended there. Her skin was light brown, her hair raven black with light curls in it and her eyes were dark brown and sometimes they looked black, especially when she was angry.

The later of the two persons came running down the stairs that lay from the front doors and the pallet in front of the manor. She ran to Draco full speed and threw herself on him and hugged him with force most resembling Hagrid. The girl looked up at Draco smiling broadly and said with sincerity, "Welcome home Draco, it's so good to see you."

"It's good to be home", Draco replied and even managed to bring forth a smile. "But it's even better seeing you and mother."

Draco bent down so he could hug the little one better.

"It's so good finally seeing you again after almost a whole year…" Draco said, "…gosh, what you have grown Claudia."

Claudia looked at him and smiled her sweetest smile. "Thanks", she said and hugged him again, even tighter than before.

And there they were on the front pavement in the morning sun, Draco Malfoy kneeling and hugging his baby sister, Claudia Malfoy, who stood there hugging him back.

TBC

To quote my favorite author remuslives23 who posts her stories on : Reviews are love.


	3. Matter of Life and Death

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **No one, I read it over my self  
**Rating:** PG – 13.  
**Word Count:** 4229  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Can been seen on the main page  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Draco and Snape decide to do the right thing.

**Author's note: **Thanks to the people who have read and special thanks to thrnbrooke who reviewed chapter 2.

**There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love – Chapter 3. Matter of Life and Death**

**Draco looked around the tiny little room that was going to be his and Snape's chamber during their hiding. **

**A soon as Draco had finished greeting his sister and mother, Narcissa had urged him and Snape into the manor. Going through the entrance hall and going down the stairs, Narcissa lead them to the basement. The basement at Malfoy manor was surprisingly like the dungeons at Hogwart's, long halls, with stonewalls and lit up with torches, cold, damp and miserable. She led them down a long corridor and at it's end, there was what looked like a solid stonewall. Narcissa had stopped and utter many spells. Draco had been able to detect lots of locking charms, protection- and silencing charms among the heap. The stonewall slit aside into the wall and Draco, Narcissa, Claudia and Snape stepped through.**

**When Draco finished looking around he piped up.**

"**Why can't we just stay in the guest rooms in the northern wing and hide if anyone comes? This place is bloody miserable. I don't want to have to stay here for month's mother." **

**Draco turned around and faced his mother. Narcissa sighed and looked at Snape, whom looked like he was just feeling quite at home there. He simply looked at her back and raised his eye brown.**

**Narcissa sighed again **

"**Because Draco, that the ministry will come looking for you, probably any minute now, you are now wanted for the murder of Dumbledore, both of you. I don't think the ministry will have the courtesy to owl a head and let us know their are coming to do a raid. You won't have any time to hide, so it's best you just stay in hiding. I know this place isn't ideal but it will just have to do."**

**She ended her speech angrily as in challenging him to argue. Draco looked at Snape, but the only respond he got from him, was Snape walking into the chamber and sitting himself on one of the beds. Draco realized this was a lost battle and resigned himself of the fate of having to stay in a cold, damp little dungeon room, with the most hated professor of Hogwart's, the most loving servant of the Dark Lord and now the killer of Albus Dumbledore, over the course of the next months, and perhaps. Draco shuttered, the next years!**

**Narcissa smiled when Draco took a seat on the other bed.**

"**My and Claudia will be going now, over the next few months I won't come down here a lot. Claudia has said she wants to bring you food and clean clothes and everything else you will need." **

**Claudia interrupted **

"**I want to spend as much time with you as I can, Draco" and smiled sweetly. Draco smiled back but sadly.**

"**You just tell her if there is something you want and I will try to get it for you. I just don't think it's wise for me to be going in the dungeons all the time, it's not normal for a grown up spending all his time hanging around here, but if the mansion will be watched they will hopefully take it that she is just playing down here."**

**Then Naricssa and Claudia turned around and went out. The stonewall slide back to place and Draco could here all the charms going back up. He was trapped here, and would not be able to get away, unless his mother decided otherwise. He looked around the chamber again.**

**It was small, really small, with stonewalls, obviously, there were two single beds in there, a rug on the floor between them and two little bedside tables. On the door wall, there was one desk and a chair. Next to Draco's bed there was a wardrobe with mirror on it. On the wall there was a door, to the bathroom, was Draco's best guess. There were some books, scrolls, feather pens and ink on the desk and on the bedside tables there was an alarm clock. That was it. Draco stood up and looked in the wardrobe, it was double, on the one side were some of his clothes and he the other some of Snape's. He went and took a look through the other door, in there was the smallest bathroom Draco had ever seen, a little toilet, above it shelves with some of his necessary grooming products and some of Snape's, a sink with mirror above and a tiny little shower that was built in, with a hanger.**

**Draco sighed and went back into the main room, he took a seat on the bed and then a thought came to him that had been lost because of the night events.**

**Potter! Potter fighting Snape. Potter staring at him and Snape with hatred written all over him, as they Apparated away. That feeling Draco had felt when he had looked Potter in the eyes right before the Apperation. Similar to the feeling Draco felt every time he looked at his baby sister but yet not very so. That feeling that came with a word Draco didn't want to utter, nor even think. He couldn't think about this right know. Wouldn't think about this right know. He could not, not thing about this right know.**

"**_You're in love with Harry Potter"_ That irritating little voice inside his head was back and speaking the terrifying truth.**

"**_I'm in love with Harry Potter"_ Draco repeated in his head. "_When the bloody hell had that happened_?"**

" **_I can't think about this right know"_ Draco thought**

"**_The sooner you think this through the sooner you can start thinking about more important things"_ The voice said.**

"**_Well I guess…" _Draco started. **

"**_Yes…???"_ the voice said.**

"**_I guess this has been a long time coming"_**

"**_Go on"_**

"**_I mean, I have always been really obsessed with Har…Potter…with bloody Potter The-Boy-How-Won't-Fucking-Die. Why won't he die??? DIE GODDAMIT DIE!_**

"**_You've got it out of your system? Good. Keep going. You don't have time thinking about this all summer. There are more important things. Remember?"_**

"**_Yeah ok. It must have started when he refused shaking my hand in first year. Nobody refuses a Malfoy. It was then that I decided to make his and his friend's life a living hell during school. At first, it was fun. Well fun for me. I got a reaction out of it, Potter would ignore it at first, but I knew he would explode like a firework if I just pressed a little further and it worked every time. Weasley would get pissed right off…you could see it from his ears, they would get all red. Granger would try to get them to ignore it. I didn't care about Weasley's and Granger's reaction. It was his reaction that I wanted. The way his face got all flushed and his green eyes would sparkle with annoyance and he would pay all his attention to me and me alone. Not even Granger could get through to him, when he got really pissed at me. But. Sadly. This era ended all too soon. It reached it's high peek during our duel in second year. After that it started to diminish and during our third year he looked like he had mastered ignoring me. When he didn't seek me out after my Dementor scene during that Quidditch match, I was furious. It was like I didn't matter anymore. I was the big bad in his life until that point and now the bigger bad was Sirius fucking Black. When the big bad Sirius Black was out of the way I thought things would turn back to "normal" but then it was fourth year, that TriWizard tournament and then Diggory died. Oh buhuhu so bleeding sad. Fifth year, it was the DA and Umbitch, I never liked her, you know, I was just trying out a new way to piss Potter off and he just went out on a stroll with Umbridge and left me with Weasley and Loony. Year six, well I didn't have time to try and get a reaction out of him, but here is the fun part . It looks like he got a little obsessed with me. Trying to find out what I was up to. Well he got a right bit of a shock when he found out. I will never as long as I live forget the look on his face when he stared after me and Snape Apparating away. The final reaction. Now I guess, the next time I see him will be on a battlefield right before he uses the Avada Kedavra curse on me. I can already imagine the look on his face when he does that. Feelings that will be so readable on his face. I guess that in the end this obsession became more than just my hate for him. I don't know when but I'm guessing, I stopped hating him and started…"_**

"**_Yes, you stared what Draco?" _The voice urged.**

"**_I started loving him, and it wasn't until last night that I realized I had crossed this line. This very thin line. It took my brain long enough to catch up with my heart."_**

"**_Yes it did,"_ the voice said,_ "and now you can move on to more important things. This love is never going to happen, Draco, the sooner you move on, the better. Harry Potter hates you, Draco, and he's never going to do anything else than hate you, you helped in killing his mentor and you are his arch enemy. You have to think about more important things, like the fact your sister is going to Hogwarts this autumn and the secret, then there is the Ministry, who might be coming any second. And of course you guilty conscience, you just helped murdering a man Draco, and then you took all the "credit", But I think priority number one is to get some sleep. You've been having a mental conversation with yourself for about 15 minutes now and Snape is starting to stare at you. Be careful not to allow him in your head Draco, but do keep a close watch on his."_**

**Draco looked up and saw that Snape was in fact starting to stare at him. Draco smirked.**

"**I'm going to have a lie down and try to sleep for a bit, I've been awake for nearly 48 hours now and I'm completely worn out."**

"**I quite agree with you, Draco" Snape replied, "A lie down is an idea"**

**Draco woke up with his mother shaking him**

"**Draco…Draco… Wake up Draco now!"**

**Draco looked at her sleepily.**

"**So I'm guessing this means that the Ministry found us?"**

"**No they didn't" Narcissa said "They never even started looking"**

**When Draco heard that he became completely awake in seconds.**

"**What do you mean, mother?"**

"**Read this" Narcissa handed him the Daily Prophet.**

**Draco took the Prophet. On the front page it stood with large letters:**

**Dumbledore murdered**

"**This hardly, comes as a shock for neither you nor me mother. Since I witnessed the whole thing" Draco said wondering why his mother was making such a fuss and what she had meant by this whole "the ministry never even started looking" thing**

"**Read what it says in the article not just the head line"**

**Draco started reading the article underneath who seemed to be unusually short for this sort of news. It was like neither the Prophet or the Ministry had a clue about what had happened.**

"**_Albus Dumbledore was murdered last night, when a pack of Death Eaters managed to break in to Hogwarts. How they managed that is not know. _**

**_Minerva McGonagall, now the Head Mistress of Hogwarts said they haven't got a clue how the Death Eaters managed to get into Hogwarts and do the things they did. "After they entered Hogwarts, they somehow managed to brake into Dumbledore's private quarters take him captive, then bring him to the Astronomy tower where they killed him using the Avada Kedavara curse and then they threw his body down from the tower. They then tried to escape but the alarm that sounded woke up the staff, who fought them in the corridors near the Astronomy towers. We were too few and they overpowered us and then ran. Their orders must have been very clear. Go in. Kill Dumbledore. No one else. Go out. Which is exactly what they did. We do not know who the Death Eaters were that killed Dumbledore since of course they were wearing masks." Head Mistress McGonagall said._**

**_The Ministry has already interrogated everyone in the staff who were in the fight and no one has a clue how this happened. The case is considered closed._**

**_Albus Dumbledore, like so many before him, was murdered by unknown Death Eaters. His funeral is set for next week._**

**Draco finished reading and was amazed. This was clearly a trap the Ministry must have had the Prophet print this too lure them out. Surely McGonagall would have told them what happened. She had never been too fond of either him nor Snape.**

"**Well, this is clearly a trap." Snape whom Narcissa had woken up and shown the article had already put in words what Draco was thinking.**

"**My thoughts exactly" Draco said.**

"**We will still stay here Draco. The Ministry is clearly hoping that we will reveal ourselves and not go into too much hiding if they think, that we think, that they don't know what happened"**

"**Clearly"**

**Weeks passed by with agonizingly slow paste. **

**Draco spent most of his time reading, writing and listening to his music, since his daily routine was out of the question in this tiny little room, and thinking. **

**Mostly about the fact that he had murdered Dumbledore. Well or at least been a big part in helping murdering him, and his conscience tortured him every single day. There was no way in hell he was ever going to be able to redeem himself from this, no matter what he did and surly not when he was in the service of the Dark Lord. **

**The more he thought about this the more he wished that he would have accepted Dumbledore's offer of joining the light side. The more he wished he could quit the Death Eaters and go to the light side and be the first Malfoy to do the right thing. It might be dangerous and completely stupid and he might be dead in a week, but it would be a lot better than this guilt. **

**Then there also was ,like, fat chance in hell that the Order would ever believe him in wanting to join the light side. They would probably think that he had been sent by Voldemort and was supposed to be the new spy just like Snape had down so many years ago. Claiming he had a quilt for his actions.**

**Did Snape feel guilty? That thought crossed Draco's head one day when he was thinking about things. Snape was asleep and Draco decided that a little peek at Snape's thoughts and feelings would be in order.**

**From that point Draco used every chance he got to use Legilimensy on Snape. What he discovered was amazing.**

**Snape felt guilty for killing Dumbledore. He had been on the light side and the Order side the whole time. When about a year ago, Dumbledore had discovered plans in murdering him and that he, Draco, was supposed to do it, he had called Snape for a meeting. Dumbledore had told Snape to do everything in his might to make sure that Draco did not murder him. He had told Snape that Draco was a very important part of how this war was going to work out in the end and he would not be able to play that part if he killed him. Then there were the sentences that made Draco think that Dumbledore really must have been mad:**

"**_If it comes down to it, Severus my dear boy" Dumbledore said "Then you have to kill me and make sure that Tom gets the news that Draco killed me. With any means necessary. Draco has to stay innocent in order to play his part in this war and that part is with us. If he is backed into a corner and has no other way than killing me, then you have to take action and do it for him. Tom has to thing Draco did it or otherwise Draco is going to get killed. Then Draco is probably going to get incorporated to the Death Eaters and you two will go into hiding, since you are going to be wanted for my murder._**

**_When in hiding you have to find a way to make Draco want to join the Order. I don't think that's going to be a problem since Draco doesn't want to join the Dark Lord or become a murderer. You are going to have to convince Draco that his family, his sister and mother are going to be save. I don't think he cares that much about his father. Then you, him and his mother and sister are going to have to go to the Order and convince them. Show them this memory of this meeting. Do not fight them when the use Legilimency or Veritaserum and tell Draco to do the same thing. Everything has to work out. Draco has to join the light side. It's vital to the war. To our victory over Tom Riddle. Do you promise me this?"_**

"**_I promise Albus" Snape replied_**

"_Wow"_. Draco thought after seeing this memory._ "The old coot really did know and think of everything didn't he?"_

Few more weeks passed away. In the beginning of July, Draco and Snape had a visit from both Narcissa and Claudia, whom had been a frequent visitor to their room and had helped pass the time along. Claudia came bursting in and ran and hugged Draco all the while screaming on the top of her voice.

"I got in. I got in. I got into Hogwarts. 1st of September. Platform 9 ¾. 1st of September. 9 ¾ . "

"Congratulations Claudia" Snape said.

"Thank you uncle Severus" Claudia ran to Snape and hugged him

"Yes congratulations" Draco said.

Draco looked at Narcissa and saw the worrying in her eyes. Her eyes just scremed. _The Secret. The Secret is going to get out and everybody will know. Your father's going to freak out when the news reach him, brake out and…_

"Don't worry mother". Draco said. "I've got a plan. Can I speak to Severus alone for a minute mother and Claudia?"

"Yes" both Narcissa and Claudia replied and went out.

"What is it Draco?" Snape asked

Draco t ook a deep breath.

"Severus. I know."

When Snape didn't show any responses Draco continued.

"I know. About everything. Where your loyalty really lies. About why you didn't allow me to try and kill Dumbledore in peace. Why you lied to our Lord. Everything."

The little color that was in Snape's face drained out and Snape went as white as a sheet.

"How?" he asked

"Legilimency" Draco replied. "I've been using Legilimency.

"

Draco saw that Snape's face get red and that he was about to burst. When Snape opened his mouth Draco screemed.

"NO WAIT PLEASE! It…it wasn't like that. I…I feel it too. The guilt. I wish that I've joined the Order when I had the chance and I would have never joined Him, our Lord. I wish I've rather let him kill me then to agree to do this. Watching Dumbledore get killed, joining Him. Getting this thing branded into my arm like I'm some kind of cattle."

With those words Draco yanked up his left sleeve and showed Snape his mark, which was looking horrible. Obviously. But the skin around it was no longer red.

"I want to get redemption. I want us to go to the Order, right now. Tell them truth and beg for mercy, perhaps I can become a spy just like you. We can both spy. What do you say? I know you didn't want to do this but Dumbledore gave you no choice told you that I had to stay innocent or something like that. I couldn't become a murderer. We just do what Dumbledore told you. He has been right so far hasn't he?

We just keep following his plan that he told you about. Go to the Order, tell them the truth and let them Veritaserum and Legilimency the hell out of us just so they will believe us and then we will ask them to protect my mother and sister. We will spy and at least get some of our guilty conscience off our backs and defeat Him and live happily ever after or something like that. Or if that doesn't happen at least we will be remembered if we die as the good guys. Not the guys who killed the greatest wizard since Merlin. What do you say Severus?"

Draco looked at Snape with both fear and hope in his eyes. "_Oh please for Merlin's sake"_ Draco thought.

Snape stared back at him put his face in his hand and then ran them through his hair. He sighed and looked up towards the sealing like in silent prayer.

"All right then Draco". He said "Let's do this then. Redemption and eternal glory or some kind of heroic war shit like that. To hell with it all. Let's do it. Call your mother and sister in. We will tell them the plan and then go and get them packed and you will pack too, we leave in an hour."

An hour later Claudia, Narcissa and Draco were packed and ready to go. Snape, who hadn't brought anything with him to begin with, Draco noticed looked awed when he saw the share amount of trunks the three Malfoy's were bringing with them.

"What on earth is this?" he asked.

"I told the kids we should only bring our clothes that we don't want to leave behind and some personal belongings they want to have with them. Be glad I didn't let them have their way and bring all of their stuff then we would have needed a pair or two of extra hands." Narcissa replied and looked like it was nothing out of the ordinary to three persons having 10 trunks of stuff with them when doing, literally, an escape from Dark Lord and death.

"All right then." Snape replied looking completely shocked "We will just shrink them then." he turned around and Draco heard him muttering to himself

"What on earth did I expect from a bunch of Malfoy's? Them to travel light and take only three pair of pants and couple of T-shirts with them. I'm not escaping the Dark Lord with the Weasley's. They are bloody Malfoy's; it doesn't matter if you are dead just as long as you're looking good and fashionable."

They shrunk the trunks and walked to the edge of the Malfoy's grounds. There Narcissa grabbed Claudia and told her to hold on tight. Then they all as one Apparated.

When Draco saw anything again he was standing on what looked like an ordinary muggle street looking at a block of apartment buildings. He looked at Snape with a huge questioning mark on his face. Snape handed him a note that was written in a fine spider like writing which he hadn't seen before. Then Snape handed his mother and sister the note.

The note said:

_Nr. 12 Grimmauld Place._

Draco heard a strange noise and when he looked up a building had sprung up in the middle of the block. A three story high house looking old and run-down but also looking like it had been glorious in its younger days. He looked at his mother and sister and saw from the look on their face that they were also seeing the house.

"Is this the Order of the Phoenix head quarters?"

"Yes it is" Snape replied "It used to be in your aunt's belonging. Now Potter owns it."

"This is my father's sister's house, Draco." Narcissa said, "This is the noble and most ancient house of Black mansion as the Black family was called."

"Oh" was all Draco managed to said.

"Are we going to stand here all day and discuss family, or are we going to do this?" Snape asked.

They all walked over the street and up the steps, stopping in front of the door. Draco was going to pull the door bell string but Snape stopped him.

"Knock" he said.

Draco knocked on the door. Then they waited. After a while Draco heard footsteps coming down the hall and he then the door started to open. When they were fully open Draco was looking at the very surprised face of one Remus Lupin. Then Lupin seemed to gene his senses and grabbed his wand. He was looking even more confused when neither Snape, Draco nor Narcissa grabbed their wands and it only got worse when Draco noticed, that he had spotted Claudia standing behind Narcissa.

Snape then started to speak with low voice and not sounding like himself.

"Hello Remus, how are you doing? Would you please, so kindly let us in? This is a matter of life and death. "

TBC

Go ahead and make my day. Review


	4. Telling the Truth

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG – 13  
**Word Count: **  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

**Note: **Thanks so much to everyone that has read and reviewed the story.

There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love – Chapter 4. Telling the Truth

Lupin was looking more confused than ever when he opened the door wide  
and said.

"Get in. It won't help the matter if the muggles see you wearing cloaks."

Snape stepped in first and Draco, Narcissa and Claudia followed. When they were inside Lupin closed the door and warded them. Then he turned around and pointed his wand at them. Draco thought it pretty obvious that they weren't going to use their wands otherwise they would have pulled them out by now.

Lupin's look was that of utter suspicion and Draco heard him muttering tohimself"What are you up to?"

Draco started to say,

"We aren't up…" but was cut off when Lupin shouted

"McGonagall, Moody, Tonks, all of you. Could you please come out here? I  
need a bit of help!"

The doors at the back of the hall opened and Draco saw McGonagall, MadEye Moody, a girl with bubble gum pink hair, a big bold black fellow, some guy who looked like a dog and, that Fleur chick from the TriWizard tournament and around 5 of the Weasley's coming out. Clearly an Order meeting had been fully under the way only moments before.

McGonagall saw immediately what was going on and before Draco or Snape could utter a single word, there were 11 wands being pointed at them and everywhere Draco looked there was a look of disgust and hate. Surprisingly that hate looked like it was only pointed at Snape.

"_So, Potter must have told them everything"_ he thought.

Draco, Narcissa and Snape all lifted up their hands, like to show that they were unarmed. No one was even giving Claudia a first look.

Then Moody was the first to speak up

"Keep your hands there and don't move muscle."

"_Oh Merlin,"_ Draco thought," _We are going to get killed even before we can open our mouths."_

Moody spoke again.

"What should we do, Minerva?"

McGonagall didn't reply she stared at Snape at then she said, her voice sounding almost broken and very disappointed.

"How could you Severus? How could you kill Albus? After everything he did for you. He trusted you Severus."

Suddenly Lupin was pointing his wand at Snape's heart.

"Sirius was right." He said, "James should have allowed you to find me in my werewolf form so I could have killed you, then Dumbledore would still be alive."

Remus lifted his wand and started to utter a curse. Then all ofsudden his wand flew out of his hand and Claudia grabbed it.

"DON'T YOU DARE HURTI HIM!" she screamed. "Don't you dare hurt Uncle Severus." She looked at Remus like he was the most evil person in the world. Then she looked at the other members of the Order. "Don't you understand? We need your help. Dumbledore asked Uncle Severus to kill him. Uncle Severus didn't want to kill him and neither did Draco. They didn't want that to happen and they are so sorry for what they did but Dumbledore made Uncle Severus promise. Draco had to kill Dumbledore or the Dark Lord would have killed me and my mom and Draco. We've come here because we need your help. Uncle Severus and Draco wanna quit the Death Eaters, they don't wanna be bad. They never wanted to be bad, but it was the only way for them to survive. And for Draco to keep my mom and me alive. They are so sorry. If you don't help us, then it won't matter if you kill us; either way we  
are dead meat. Not only Uncle Severus and Draco but my mom and me too.  
Can't we please explain why we are here?" A little sob escaped Claudia's lips  
"Please?" she repeated.

"Oh my," McGonagall said "That's…oh my"

"What should we do McGonagall?" MadEye asked.

"We should have a meeting and decide what to do" McGonagall said. "Tonks, please stay here and keep an eye on our visitors, it will only be 10 minutes tops" She said and her and the rest of the Order went back to the room.

When they were gone Tonks looked at them still with her wand drawn. She was ignoring Snape but literally staring at the Malfoy's. Narcissa was staring at Tonks too.

Finally it was Tonks how broke the silence.

"You're Narcissa Malfoy. Aren't you?" she said to Narcissa.

"Yes I am" Narcissa said,

"I guess you know my mother Andromeda?"

"Well we are sister" Narcissa replied, "although I haven't spoken to her in 25 years, when she ran off with that Ned Tonks and then she had a baby a year later I heard, a girl. I assume that is you?"

"Yes" Tonks replied, and then to Draco amazement Tonks lowered her wand and walked forward with her hand reached out. She stopped a step from Narcissa, still holding out her hand and said.

"Nymphadora Tonks, it's a pleasure to meet you aunt. My mom has told me  
a lot about you. She really misses you. Do you know that?"

Narcissa took her hand and smiled a sad smile.

"No I didn't know that. I thought she hated my guts since I disowned her, like the rest of the family did, except nephew Sirius. But you have to know I was forced to, otherwise I would have been in a world of trouble and probably disowned too. And I miss her too. Very much, although I had to act like I didn't."

Narcissa let go off Tonks hand and added

"It is really nice too meet you, Nymphadora. I'm Narcissa Malfoy, your aunt."

Tonks face was plastered with a very strange look.

"Please aunt Cissa, don't call me Nymphadora. I really don't like that name. Call me Tonks. Everybody does. Even my boyfriend."

"All right then Tonks, I'm going to ask you about your boyfriend later, but right now is not the time, seeing has how we are kind of your prisoners and enemies. We will talk when the time is right and perhaps we can take a little visit to your mother's."

The door at the end of the hall opened and everyone came out. McGonagall looked shocked to see Tonks with her wand lowered and clearly interacting with the enemy.

"Tonks! What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm talking to my aunt and my niece and nephew and just so you know" Tonks looked at McGonagall and everyone else with a glare that dared them to object with her "I believe them. They are telling the truth. Although I've only heard it from a third party, that happens to be an eleven year old girl, I still believe them. Eleven years old can't lie like that and they sure as hell are not that good at acting.

McGonagall sighed. "I see, old pure blood family bonds, can clearly overcome everything," she said, her voice sounding stern and then she raised it as too make her point. ", Even 25 years where individuals don't see or talk to each other and are on different side of wars."

She glared at Tonks how glared back. Everyone else was just staring at them. Most of them had never seen Tonks angry or even in any other mood than goodspirit.

"Now you listen and listen good Minerva. My mom grew up with aunt Narcissa seeing as how they are sisters. Mom told me a lot about Narcissa and how she was. Once she even told me straight and I quote. "My sister was perhaps forced in to a arranged marriage with a Death Eater, but she is a good person and I know that she would rather die than participate in any Death Eater activities or even allow her husband too become an openly follower. She will do everything she can to protect her kids, and if it comes to it, she will leave her husband in order to protect her kids from becoming Death Eaters themselves." So you see McGonagall, I believe them because of that and also because no one knows you better than your own sister not even if they  
haven't spoken together for 25 years. As you can see they are here know and what Claudia said earlier fits what my mother told my. Narcissa has left her home and therefore husband and risked everything to protect Draco from going any further down the Death Eater path."

"McGonagall" Moody interrupted. "Shouldn't we go on with it?"

"Yes we should" McGonagall looked at Draco, Snape, Narcissa and Claudia. "We have decided to listen to what you have to say."

Draco sighed and he saw that his mother, sister and Snape were all visibly relieved.

"But we are going this like an interrogation. You are all, except the little girl, going to get doses of Veritaserum; we are going to use Legilimency. Do not try to fight us when we use it or else we will decide that you have something to hide and will contact the Ministry. At last two of us will use the Truth Spell on both you Draco and you Snape. Are there any questions before we begin?"

"Yes I have two questions", Draco said with his hand raised. First why does the Ministry thing that it was an unknown Death Eater that killed Dumbledore, when you all know the truth. Secondly. What the bloody hell is a truth spell?"

"Language, Mr. Malfoy" McGonagall said "Too your first question the answer is that we didn't tell the Ministry we knew it was Snape that killed Dumbledore, because we wanted to find him ourselves and give him a proper punishment. It was a mutual decision, all though it did take forever to get Potter to promise not to tell any Ministry official about what really happened on the tower. We decided that Azkaban was not punishment enough for him. Secondly a Truth Spell is a spell that a wizard or a witch can only use once during their lifetime. It takes a great deal of talent to be able to perform it correctly and you can't practice it only learn the theory behind it. The caster performs the spell on one person and asks that person one question. That person can only answer the question truthfully and there is no way for anyone to cheat on the spell, which is a possibility when using Veritaserum. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do", Draco, answered.

"Why don't we start with you then? Tonks, Alastor, Remus, and Arthur you are going to help me with the interrogation. Charley and Kingsley if you would please watch out for the rest of our "guests?"

Kingsley and Charley noted and Kingsley took out his wand and conjured chairs for everybody.

"Fred, George and Molly you can take your leave if you want. Let's go in to the kitchen then so we can start with the interrogation."

"_Oh Merlin, this is it. Either they believe me or we're all dead. Talking about being under pressure."_

They all went into the kitchen and McGonagall pointed Draco towards a chair were he would be able to sit. She sat against him and so did Moody. Arthur was leaning against the wall beside the door; Tonks and Remus were leaning up on the kitchen cabinets.

"All right ," McGonagall said. Why don't you just start by telling us your story? No Veritaserum, no Truth Spell. Just tell us the truth. Then we will give you some Veritaserum and interrogate you on what we don'tbelieve."

Which won't be a word since all Malfoy's are a bunch of lying scum and this one is no different. The apple doesn't fall far from the oak." MadEye spat out with all the loathing he could muster.

"Hey, that's not fair I haven't even started saying anything yet."

"Alastor", McGonagall warned. "You are going to have to leave if you don't behave. And Draco the Malfoy's have not been the most truthful persons over the years, that's true. I don't honestly thing I've ever heard a true word coming from his mouth."

"Well I'm NOT my father." Draco spat.

"Why don't we just all calm down now and let Mr. Malfoy start his story?" Lupin said.

"Yes you're right Remus. Thank you" McGonagall said. "But before we begin. Is there anything you would like Draco, something to drink perhaps? This is going to take awhile and we are not cruel people. You haven't done anything wrong yet, since it was Snape that killed Albus not you."

"N…" Draco was starting to say but then he just thought "_Fuck it all, I haven't had any for more than a month now since I finished my pack during the first week in the dungeon and I'm as nervous as hell_." "Yes actually there is one thing but please I'm begging you not to tell my mom!"

Everybody were looking at him with curiosity, McGonagall even did an  
excellent Snape impression by lifting her eye brown.

"Could one of you, please go to the nearest shop and get me a pack of smokes?"

"A pack of what?" Arthur said.

"Smokes. You know?" but clearly they didn't know since they were all starting to stare at him like he was a little crazy. "Oh man and I thought I was supposed to be the one ignorant about muggle stuff. It's a tobacco thing. The muggles wraps it up in this paper and then they put fire at one end, burn it and smoke it."

"Mr. Malfoy! Are you talking about cigarettes?" McGonagall said in shock.

"Yes I am and you are not my teacher and neither are we in school any more so please don't look at me like this. When YouKnowW ho gave me, my assignment I was so nervous and this was the only thing that calmed me. Crabbe and Goyle had be smoking for years and one day about month after school started and I was first starting to realize I was doomed if I managed the assignment and doomed if I didn't. I just started to join them and it calmed me and I haven't had a cigarette in more than a month and I just really want to smoke…please?"

"I'm really disappointed in you " McGonagall said. "You know these things can kill you?"

Draco snorted at that comment. "Yeah because my life is so save at the moment because I'm not betraying the Dark Lord and running to the Order to get a protection."

"Tonks, could you please go down to the shop at the corner and get Mr. Malfoy his pack of cigarettes. Here are some muggle money"

McGonagall gave Tonks some money and she noted her head and was going to leave when Draco said

"Wait, ask for a pack of Marlboro I can't smoke anything else. There are different kinds you see. And ask for a lighter too. Otherwise I won't be able to smoke them."

"Ok", Tonks said and left.

After about 10 minutes she came back with a pack of Marlboro and a lighter, which was green.

"I could pick different colours of this lighter things and this was a really appropriate color." She said smirking as she tossed him his Marlboro's and lighter that was green .Draco grabbed them easily opened the pack, took one cigarette and lit it. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Thank you so much." He said. "So you want to know why we all became to be in this huge mess? Ok so I will start from the top then."

Draco started telling them how about a year ago his aunt Bellatrix, came to the Malfoy manor. His father had just been arrested for the incident in the ministry and the Dark Lord was furious. She said that the Dark Lord wanted to see him. Draco was scared but knew that refusing to come would get him killed so he grabbed his cloak and went with her. When they came the Dark Lord's house Draco went to the room where He was waiting. There He told him that He had assignment for him. To kill Dumbledore with any means necessary and find a way to get his Death Eaters inside Hogwarts. If he could his his father would be freed from Azkaban and he would be rewarded beyond his dreams. If not… Draco knew that failing would cause him and his whole family their life so he accepted. He went home and told his mother. Narcissa went mad when she heard this and left immediately from the house, saying something about having to talk to Severus. Bellatrix followed saying that plan was a secret and if Snape didn't know it was not their place to tell. What happened at Snape's Draco didn't know at the time. When his mother returned she was calmer and even smiled, just told Draco that he could his just to be careful. Then Draco went to school and he started trying to work out a plan and even put some in motion, which didn't end really well, with a lot of people getting hurt. But the plan about getting the Death Eaters inside was going better. It just took time. Then it finally worked as the Death Eaters came to Hogwarts. Draco went to the Astronomy tower to send the Dark Mark up in the air and put the trap up for Dumbledore. Then he waited inside so Dumbledore wouldn't see him. When he heard Dumbledore land he busted out and disarmed him. Then he was standing there and all of sudden Dumbledore was saying too him, that he wasn't a murderer and that he could protect him.

"I was going to put down my wand when the others came upstairs" Draco said. "Then Snape came and… and killed him. We ran…Snape yelled that it was over. We managed to almost get to the edge of the grounds when Snape was almost hit by a curse. He told me to go and turned around and faced Potter. He blocked him off and then he came and we apparated to our Lord. There we told him everything except that Snape said it was me not him that killed Dumbledore and he managed to bully the other Death Eaters in saying that too. Our Lord even used Occlumency on us and didn't find out the truth, He was very pleased. Then he summoned the rest of the Death Eaters and…"

"What Malfoy" Moody almost shouted. "What did he do?"

Draco didn't answer. Instead he started to roll up his left shirt sleeve he turned his upper left arm up so they could see his mark.

"He marked me." Draco said quietly.

Everyone just started with disgust on their face.

"I did what I have to do. I couldn't bloody well say no thanks, then we would surely not be having this conversation."

"All right" McGonagall said, "We should have expected this. Please Draco roll your sleeve back down. This is not something I want to look at for too long. Then what?"

Draco continued.

He told them about going to the Manor to hide. Told them about a conversation he had with Snape when Snape told him about the Unbreakable oath his mother made him help him, Draco, in fulfilling his task and getting out of it alive. Hence the lie to the Dark Lord about him killing Dumbledore not Snape. Snape would have died if he hadn't told the lie because Voldemort would have killed Draco and Snape would have broken the oath. Then he told them about the time he used Occlumency on Snape and found out about that Snape had promised Dumbledore to keep him alive and save at all cost. Even if that meant killing Dumbledore himself and how he felt quality about it and all.

"Wait a second!" Arthur interrupted. "You used Occlumency on Snape?  
Snape of all people?"

"Well I am really good at Occlumency and Legilimency. The reason why I could show the Dark Lord false memory's when he used Occlumency on me. Snape has been training me for years and he was asleep so it was easier. Then I kept doing it for a while and found out about him feeling quality and then I confronted him. He was furious at first but then I explained myself and we came up with the Plan."

"What plan?" Moody said.

"Going to the Order of the Phoenix whom I think you've heard about. Betraying our Lord. Telling you everything and hoping that we could join you. We even thought up a way for Snape keeping on being a spy for you."

"How's that plan ?" McGonagall asked.

"If you believe us, then Snape will return to our Lord." Draco said. "Snape will tell him that we have gone and visited the Order and told them "everything" and that we felt quality and wanted to make everything right and turn good, much like Snape did to Dumbledore all those years ago. That you had believed us, and now you think that we are on your side but really we are on His side and now He has two spies. Of course I won't be able to come very often because you are keeping me on a really short leash, since I killed Dumbledore but Snape will tell him everything we both have found out. Of course the Dark Lord will get angry for us not telling him the plan before hand, but Snape will tell him that if we would have done that you all would have found out that we were lying, since you use Veritaserum and asked us if this was plan we made with the Dark Lord. Our Lord will still get really angry perhaps use Crucio on Snape but then he will see that we are right and tell Snape to get back so you all will believe that the meeting went alright. After that everything will be just like before. Snape will be spying for you on Our Lord. Our Lord will thing that Snape is spying for him and that the Order just things it has a loyal spy among His mist. I will just try and stay away from going to meeting by claiming that you don't trust me. You see?"

"All right . Thank you" McGonagall said, "and yes I do believe I see. What do you thing?" She said to Lupin, Tonks, and Moody.

"Let's use Veritaserum on him!" Moody said.

They did just that and Draco had to repeat everything under the influence of Veritaserum and he got so many questions about everything in his story that it made O. seem like a walk in the park. Finally they seemed to be not able to ask him any more questions and McGonagall decided to use the Truth Spell on him. The question was really simple.

"Is everything you've been telling us here in this room true?" She asked.

"Yes every word" Draco answered, "I swear."

"All right then. Tonks if you would be so kind and escort out into the hall. It's almost evening and we should take a break. Give everyone something to eat. Have a meeting to get everyone, how weren't in here, up to speed and decide if we believe . If wehen we shall interrogate Mrs. Malfoy. Then we will discuss what she will tell us. Have a couple of hours sleep and continue tomorrow starting with the girl."

Tonks walked Draco out. She told him that they would all be escorted to separate rooms so they wouldn't be able to talk to each other and get their stories straight. Fred and George walked Draco upstairs. Neither said a word to him and simply threw him into the room where he was supposed to be staying. All his stuff was already there back to its original size.

"Hope you enjoy your stay, sir" they said sarcastically, closed and locked the door.

The next couple of days went by. Draco knew that his mother, sister and then Snape were being interrogated and after every interrogation the Order had a meeting to get everyone up to speed like McGonagall had put it. Tonks came regularly to tell him a bit what was going on, giving him food and allowing him to use the bathroom.

Then after what seemed like a week, Tonks came to his room wearing a weird look on her face. Draco just felt that something was happening and stood up from his bed.

"We've reached a decision. Please come downstairs with me."

Draco followed her and was very nervous. He couldn't read anything from her look. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"_Is_ her lack of expression a good or bad thing?" he wondered.

They came down to the kitchen. To Draco it seemed almost like walking into a Death Eater meeting. Some people he knew others he had never seen and the air was just as tension filled like at every Death Eater meeting. "So this is the Order of the Phoenix in all its glory, oh Merlin. There are at least 3 Death Eaters to every Order member and it's only going to increase over the next months."

"Have a seat, Draco"

McGonagall said who was sitting at the end of the had a seat between his mother and Snape. Claudia was sitting on his mother left hand. Draco noticed that everybody, just like him, looked dead tired."We have reached our decision" McGonagall started. She looked at every one in the room in one go and her gaze stayed on Draco, Narcissa, Claudia and Snape.

"This has been one of the hardest decisions in my life and probably many of yours to. The last time we trusted you Snape." She looked firmly at Snape. "Our Head of the Order and my very old friend Albus Dumbledore died. You…" she looked at Draco, "have been marked as a Death Eater. Many people were not convinced about this since the Malfoy's have history in following the Dark Arts. Narcissa you made it so that it was Snape instead of your son that killed Dumbledore. And you little girl… she said to Claudia.

"It's Claudia", Claudia said a little harsh, then she added, "Professor McGonagall."

"You, Claudia, have been very brave and mature way beyond your age. I just wanted to make those things clear to you before I say…"

"_Oh Meræom this is way too much stress for just two months. First getting my Lord to believe me, then the Order. Oh please dear God, Merlin, Buddha, whatever is out there, just please."_ Draco thought desperately.

"We believe you and we think that your plan which everyone has been informed about is going to be the next logical step. Severus when you're ready, have had some sleep and for heaven's sakes eaten something, you will go to You-Know-Who and perform the plan. You managed it once. I've no doubt it will work again."

Draco was so relieved that a huge smile broke out on his face. Narcissa hugged both him and Claudia and looked at McGonagall with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you McGonagall. Thank you so much."

Snape nodded his head "Yes thank you Minerva and you all for believing us. I know it wouldn't be easy for you to believe that Dumbledore would ask anyone to kill him. Nevertheless he did it so that Draco would stay like Dumbledore said in his own words, intact by the dark thing that murder is because it's vital to the war." Snape looked at Draco. "I hope Albus was right about you."

"Well he has been right about everything in the past so why on earth should he go wrong now" McGonagall said. "But to summon up, we believe you. Severus you are going to go to Him as soon as you feel ready too, which I suggest happens within the next 24 hours. Draco you are not to see him or any Death Eaters if possible. About that I think it's best if you four to stay here at Grimmauld Place. It follows your plan about telling You-Know-Who that we are keeping a close eye on you four. Draco you will go to Hogwarts next fall, Claudia will of course start her first year. Severus you will resume your Potions professor position and Narcissa I think it's best if we arrange you with rooms within the castle. This brings us to our next problem."

McGonagall took a deep breath.

"How on earth are we going to convince Potter? He's more stubborn than a Hippogriff and he hates you two with passion." She looked at Draco and Snape at those words. "Sometimes I think getting even with you two is higher on his list of priorities than saving the Wizarding world from You-Know-Who. But I think that with the evidence we've got over the last couple of days and some well placed arguments from me and perhaps you Remus". She looked at Lupin at those words, "and even an apologizes and explanations from you two should be in order. You haven't exactly been his best buddies over the years and even gone a bit out of your way to try and make his life miserable. Well more miserable than it already is."

"Ok I'll do it" Draco said. "I will apologize. No problem and tell him my point of view. Whatever it takes."

Snape didn't say anything.

"Severus…?" McGonagall urged.

"He will probably thing I've been hit by Imperious if I start apologizing to him and explaining myself, but I can try." Snape said

"Right then I will also have to convince him to return to Hogwarts this fall since one of the last thing he told me before he left for his family was that he had to do some kind of mission for Dumbledore as soon as Bill and Fleur's wedding are over. Because of that he wouldn't come back. I hope I will be able to get him to tell me this mission then perhaps we as the Order will be able to help with the mission and he can go to school and stay safe there. Well, at least if we don't get any more Death Eaters attacks this year. I guess its best just getting it over with. Molly could you please prepare something for us to eat it's almost lunch. Arthur, Would you go to the Burrow and get Harry? He's been ok with you this summer hasn't he? Just helping with the upcoming wedding?"

"Yes and getting some skin back on his bones. I'm not sure his relatives gave him anything to eat during those two weeks he stayed with them. I'll go back and get him then."

At those words Arthur turned around and went out to Apparate to the Burrow.

"_Oh Merlin. More drama_." Draco thought, _"Hasn't the last couple days been enough? Now I'm going to have to deal with Harry bloody Potter."_

TBC

The more you review the quicker I update;)


	5. Arch Nemesis

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG – 13  
**Word Count: **3907  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Harry and Draco meet agin. What will happen? Read and find out.

**Note: **Thanks so much to everyone that has read and reviewed the story. Special thanks to thrnbrooke who has reviewed all my chapters so far.

There is a thin line between hate and love – Chapter 5. Arch Nemesis.

Harry opened his eyes when Ron came bursting into their room at the Burrow.

"You better wake up mate and come downstairs and help us. Mom, dad, Fred, George and Charley aren't home yet and Fleur and Bill are having a fit. There's a million things to do and the wedding's this weekend."

Harry woke up complete and sat up.

"Wait...what...? Are your mom and dad and the others not back? Where are they?"

Ron looked at Harry like he felt really sorry for him.

"They're where they have been almost nonstop for the last three days."

"Grimmauld place then. What do you recon is happening in the Order that is so important that even your mom is ignoring the upcoming wedding?" Harry questioned.

"I don't have a clue mate. But whatever it is its big! Fred and George came home for a second last night to talk to Bill when you had gone to bed and they all looked dead tired and very serious AND they are never serious. And I swear I heard them talking about Snape and Malfoy."

Hearing Snape's and Malfoy's name brought up made Harry's hatred swell up in his chest. He had already decided that he was going to look for the rest of the Horcruxes as soon as the wedding was over next Sunday. He had already told McGonagall that he wouldn't be returning for his final year at Hogwarts. She hadn't really tried to talk him out of it but had asked him to think about it for a while and then make a decision.

"The Order is looking for them. They've gotten a clue as to where they are and are looking for them." Ron continued

Why didn't they tell me? I wanted to go and look for them."

Harry interjected

"Well maybe since you're not telling McGonagall the reason you're not coming to school this fall then maybe she decided not to tell you about this. It's called quid pro quo mate. You tell her things she tells you things. Plus we aren't old enough yet"

"O.K. Ron!" Harry said frustrated. "Let's just go downstairs and help Fleur and Bill before he bites us"

"You know he won't Harry! He's just fine" Ron said smiling a bit at Harry's joke. "Sure he likes his meat a bit too raw and he can smell things a bit better. And he's a bit stronger. The typical werewolf syndromes minus one thousand the usual but at least he isn't a werewolf. Having one in the Order is enough."

"Yeah thank Merlin for small mercies hey?" Harry said as they came down, at the same moment Fleur saw them and started yelling at Harry for sleeping so long. Then she handed him a rag and pointed him towards a table full of silver china and told him to start polishing. Hermione and Ginny were already there folding napkins.

Harry smiled a bit and thought about his aunt Petunia and thought sarcastically to himself _"At least I won't miss the Dursley's despite only staying with them for two weeks this year"._

Harry spent the next two hours polishing more silver than he thought possible. At the next table Ron was peeling tons of potatoes and Hermione, Ginny and Bill were helping Fleur with all kinds of wedding stuff.

"Who can possibly need so many potatoes?" Ron complained

"Who can afford owning so much silver is beyond me?" Harry said.

"My family owns this silver" Fleur said, while walking into the room. "We are quite rich and still Molly insists on her cooking everything. She didn't even allow me to hire some help and she isn't even here now to cook!" She said in a very frustrated tone.

"Mhhm..." was heard from the door.

"Mr. Weasley" Fleur and Harry said.

"Dad" said Ron

"I... I'm sorry Mr. Weasley" Fleur stuttered. "I...I didn't mean to..."

"It's all right Fleur" Mr. Weasley said. "I can understand you're frustrated, we were supposed to help you. But now I'm afraid that we will have to cancel the wedding. "

"WHAT!?" Fleur yelled.

Mr. Weasley didn't pay her any more attention but turned to Harry.

"Harry I need you to come with me to the headquarters something has come up."

"O.K." Harry said. "What's happening?"

"We will tell you when we get there."

"Wait, if Harry's going then we should go too." Ron, Hermione and Ginny protested.

Mr. Weasley looked at them with an angry expression.

"He's going to tell us anyway." Ginny said.

"All right I just don't have time to argue with you all"

Ron, Hermione and Ginny were clearly so ready to argue about this for an hour more that they were dumbstruck at Mr. Weasley's quick giving in.

"I really wanna come to" Bill commented "I just gotta see how this is going to turn out I know what's been happening but I just gotta see the end of this."

"Fine! FINE! Let's just all ignore my wedding. Then I guess I can come too. Since this is so important that my wedding is going to be cancelled." Fleur pouted

"But darling there are..." Bill began but Fleur looked at him with such a glare that he immediately shut up.

"Right so we are all going." Mr. Weasley said. "McGonagall is going to be so thrilled."

They went to the fireplace and got themselves floopowder. Then one by one they stepped into the fireplace, throw the powder and yelled "GRIMMAULD PLACE."

Harry was the last one to go through. The floo brought him to the kitchen which he noticed was filled with almost everyone in the Order standing around or sitting at the large kitchen. He saw, of course, the entire Weasley family. Remus and Tonks were there he noticed. MadEye, Shackelbolt, MacGonagall sitting at the head of the table that had used to be Dumbledore's seat, lots of people he didn't know, some little dark haired girl he had never seen before, Narcissa Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and Snape!

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY DOING HERE?" Harry screamed.

Hermione and Ron that hadn't noticed Malfoy or Snape looked up and saw them. Hermione went pale. Ron on the other hand got all red and stared at Snape and started screaming over Harry's screams.

"YOU BLOODY, CREASY BASTARD. I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE A TRAITOR...YOU FU...

The rest of his angry speed got drowned as Hermione got over her shock and started yelling too.

"HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU KILL DUMBLEDORE THAT WAS ALWAYS SO KIND TO YOU AND SAVED YOUR LIFE...?"

Draco all of sudden stood up and started to try and explain themselves... "Wait can I..."

Harry turned on him immediately

"DON'T YOU DARE TRYING TO TALK TO ME YOU LITTLE FERRET!"

At those words's Draco got really angry and decided to join the yelling contest.

"DON'T YOU CALL ME A FERRET, SCARHEAD, MY AND SNAPE ARE BLOODY TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND LET US...

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP NOW!" McGonagall all of sudden screamed at the top of her voice.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco all stopped yelling. Everybody were looking at them in shock. Except for Snape how was smirking slightly. He had always known that they didn't get along.

"_And_...", he thought," ..._if McGonagall's plan goes through like she talked about. Then this year at Hogwarts is going to be really interesting. The Gryffindor Golden Trio forced to spend almost all their time with The Dark Prince of Slytherin. Really interesting indeed."_

"Everybody is to go out immediately. There will be another meeting tomorrow so those of you not staying here can go home. The rest of you can wait in the hallway while I have a little talk with Potter."

As everybody left Draco turned around and saw Harry looking at him with hatred shining through his eyes.

_"Well at least I'm getting a reaction out of him"_ He thought bitterly _"Just not the reaction that I wanted"_

"Oh and Arthur." McGonagall said to Mr. Weasley. "If you could be so kind and explain to your two youngest ones and Ms. Granger what is going on it would be awfully nice, I really don't want to have to explain this one more time. It's complicated enough as it is."

Mr. Weasley looked at Ginny, Ron and Hermione. "Here's what's happening and please let me finish before you say anything..." Mr. Weasley started to say at the same time the doors closed.

As soon as the doors closed Harry sat down and tried to calm himself.

He thought to himself "_There is a perfectly normal explanation as to why Snape and Malfoy are here. They have probably been arrested and are going to be punished now. Yes! That gotta be it!"_

As soon as McGonagall turned to him, he asked in his most polite school voice.

"What's going on Professor McGonagall? Why are Snape and Malfoy here? Did the Order find them and arrest them? Why is Malfoy's mom here? And who's that girl?

"I'm going to answer those questions in the wrong order Mr. Potter and I would like it if you didn't interrupt me, I want to finish what I have to say. I know you have a temper but try keeping it at bay." McGonagall said. "To your last question that girl is Claudia Malfoy, Draco's little sister. The reason that his mother is here with them is because she's going to be under our protection from now one. No we did not find and arrest them. They came to us. As to your first question they're here because they're betraying the Dark Lord and joining us, the Order. They both really regret their actions. Snape has been quilt ridden over the past months, and Mr. Malfoy has been no better. They want redemption and to become like Mr. Malfoy put it "the good guys".

Harry opened his mouth but McGonagall stopped him.

"I know what you're going to say Mr. Potter that they're playing the same game on me that Snape did all those years ago with Dumbledore and that I'm naive to believe them. The only problem is that Snape and Mr. Malfoy are as sincere now as Snape was all those years ago. And that I'm not nearly as naive as Dumbledore was. He just took Snape's words almost without questions. Me myself, Alastor, Remus, Arthur, Tonks, Kingsley and Charley have been interrogating them for almost three days now, using both Veritaserum and Truth Spells. They are honest about this, they regret they're actions and want to help us."

"But..." Harry started.

"Just let me tell you about what they told us and tell you about the plan we've cooked up. If the first part of it works smoothly then it's going to be flawless and we'll have huge advantage in this war."

"_Advantage? How_?" Harry thought. "_Damn it she managed to make me curious. She knows that I hate being left out on a plan."_

"Alright then." He said up loud "Tell me everything from the beginning, from when they came here, what they had to say for themselves and tell me the plan"

McGongall started to talk. Starting at the very beginning when the bell had rang three days ago. Then she went over the whole thing, Claudia's outburst in the hallway, Tonks little speech. Everything that was said at the interrogations. The meeting afterwards, where they all agreed that they were clearly telling the truth. No one was that good of a liar and finally about the plan.

Getting that all out took almost two hours for McGonagall. The whole time Harry sat there dumbstruck listening.

After McGonagall finished her story Harry sat there looking like a fish out of water. Then he snapped out of it, looked McGonagall in the eyes and said,

"How can you be certain that their telling the truth? There is an antidote for Veritaserum and you don't know it they took it!"

"Yes we do, Pomfrey did a spell that reveals positions in the blood before we made them drink the Veritaserum and the spell came back clean. They didn't have any working poison in their blood."

"Oh ok!" was all Harry could say.

"Please Harry" McGonagall said, "If we believe their telling the truth. Me, Tonks, Remus, Molly and even Arthur and you know how much he dislikes the Malfoy's then it must be good enough for you"

"_Everything's_ _McGonagall has told me sounds flawless, the plan and Malfoy's and Snape's intentions seem sincere, as much as it pains me to admit it_" Harry thought to himself!

"Mr. Potter please!" McGonagall said "It's your call if you don't believe them then we will turn them in to the Ministry and tell them the truth"

"Allright" Harry said silently. "Allright I believe them" he said louder and looked at McGonagall. He could see the relief in her eyes and heard her sigh.

"But" he added "That doesn't mean that I trust them. If I see any signs or even just get a suspicion that they are planning on performing a double agent act. Then we will report them to the Ministry immediately!"

"Good, but know I would like to ask you something Harry."

Harry knew what was coming "_Oh no_" he thought.

"Why are you not coming to Hogwarts this autumn Harry I know you said this was your final decision but I would like to try and talk you out of it? I have a suspicion that this has something to do with why you and Dumbledore left Hogwarts together that night. That you two were on a mission of some sort. That you're planning on finishing the mission alone. I can even guess that Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone about this mission of yours. But I would like to tell you this. You're 17 Harry; you're not even a qualified wizard yet! Whatever this mission is it almost killed Dumbledore. He told me he was on a mission when he came back with that broken ring, more dead than alive with his hand all black, but didn't want to tell me what it was about. You are probably finishing that mission. Why don't you let the Order help you? We are older, more experienced wizards and know more about the Dark arts, since this is most probably about You-Know-Who. Please tell me what this is about. Trust me Harry please. If you are not sure about some of our Order members then I will let you choose who you trust for the mission. It will still be your mission. We will let you know about every step, every information we get. Please. This almost killed Dumbledore and if you die then so does our hope of winning this war. Just come to Hogwarts this autumn do your studies and let us deal with this."

Harry listened to McGonagall's pleas. "_Maybe she's right_" He thought. _"It would be better getting help, Ron and Hermione are coming with me anyway. We had a huge fight the other day and they told me they were coming. End of story. I don't want to risk their lives. But I don't want to risk anyone else's live either. It would probably be better telling McGonagall everything and getting the Orders help. Then because if I don't go on the mission and just go to Hogwarts instead so will Ron and Hermione. They told me they were going to stay with me until the end so..."_

"Yes ok! I'll tell you. Voldemort has made Horecruxes. Seven of them to be exact."

"Ho...hore...horecruxes." McGonagall stammered. "Oh Merlin help us all. Tell me everything Harry." She asked him.

And Harry did. Everything Dumbledore had told him on their meetings the previous year. About the mission, what the horecruxes were, which one had been destroyed and which were left. After finishing this McGonagall said.

"Fine then, then this is our mission. You say that two of them have been destroyed?"

"Yes, the Diary and the Ring."

"That you and Dumbledore were looking for the Slytherin necklace but someone had taken it and put a false one instead. So we don't know where that is. Although I do have a suspicion on it."

"Yes and how do you suspect that?"

"Well there is only one Death Eater who had the initials R.B. back then. The traitor who tried to back out of the Death Eater clan, Regulus Black."

"Sirius's brother?"

"Yes but let's think about that later. And you say that leaves fife horcruxes. Something from Huffelpuff and Rawenclaff, Voldemort's snake and Voldemort himself?"

"That's right" Harry replied.

"So you're going to do this? Come back to Hogwarts and let us deal with this?"

"Yes" Harry answered. "But like you said I want to choose the people that are going to be on this mission and I want to know about every step and agree to it. "

"We will discuss that tomorrow, but right now I think we should go into the hallway and let everyone know that you've decided to trust..."

"I don't trust them" Harry interrupted McGonagall "I think they will change sides as soon as it's convenient for them. But I believe them. For now!"

"Fine Harry. Fine. Let's go and tell them the tension must be killing them. We've been in here for nearly four hours."

McGonagall and Harry went to the hallway and Harry felt that McGonagall had been right. The tension was unnerving. You could have cut it with a knife. Everyone were there, all the Weasley's, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, MadEye the rest of the Order and of course the three Malfoy's and Snaepe. Harry noticed that the clock showed that the time was 9 o'clock in the evening. When looking at the masks that was Snape's and Malfoy's face he got quite angry. They didn't show any remorse or angst for their fate. Everyone else were looking at him, waiting for his decision. Harry noted his head. Looked at Snape and Malfoy and said.

"I believe you! But I don't trust you! At all!" He said that last part loudly.

Harry saw that Narcissa let out a breath and smiled a bit in relieve. But apart from that there were no emotions on anyone's face. Then Ron started to open his mouth but Harry stopped him.

"Please Ron, we can talk about how utterly creasy I am in believing them tomorrow, but right now I'm tired and I think you all are too. The little girl has even fallen asleep."

Molly all of sudden burst into action.

"Right" she said. "I think it's too late for us to leave tonight, no one can Floo this tired. We will just stay here tonight."

The Order started apparating away. Tonks gave Remus a kiss goodnight but he was living in Grimmauld place. Kingsley and MadEye said their goodbye's to everyone, well except of course to Malfoy and Snape and then left.

"Well" Molly said when everyone left. "I had a suspicion this might happen so I already made the beds. Remus you'll of course stay in your room. Harry, Ron, your room here is waiting for you. The same goes for you Ginny and Hermione. Fred and George, you have your old room. Me and Arthur will stay in the Mr. And Mrs. Black old bedroom. Mrs. Malfoy you can have the room Mrs. Black stayed in during her last years. Snape, Regulus Black's room is available for you. Mr. Malfoy you will just go and stay in the room you've stayed in for the last days. The only thing I'm not sure is the little Miss. Malfoy. She could stay with Ginny and Hermione or..."

"Oh if you don't mind me interrupting Mrs. Weasley" Narcissa interrupted Molly. "Then I would like Claudia staying with me. If she wakes up in a strange room she will get afraid."

"Fine then that's settled. Right then off to bed everyone! Good night"

"Good night" almost everyone said and started walking to their rooms.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco started to walk up the stairs Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall stopped them.

"Try to behave like civilized people to each other now will you?" They said in unison.

Draco was in shock and so glad that he could barley conceal it. Harry had believed them. He didn't trust them yet but as far as he was concern he was going to earn that trust.

Draco, Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny all got off the stairs in the same hallway. Narcissa was still heading up the stairs holding Claudia in her arms. She turned around, looked at Draco and said.

"Good night Draco"

"Good night Mother" Draco replied.

"Wow" Harry thought. "If that had been any more formal they would have called each other Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy.

When Harry and Ron headed for a really familiar door Draco realised that he had been staying in their usual room.

"_Oh man_" He thought "_No more drama please_." He stopped. Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry were standing outside their doors talking. Hermione seemed to realise all of sudden that they had an audience.

"Is there something wrong Malfoy" She said.

"No" he said. "Well excually yes." He changed his mind when they were going to keep on talking.

"Make up your mind Malfoy" Ron said sarcastically.

"I've been staying in that room", Draco said pointing at the door behind Harry and Ron. "But I will just go and sleep on the couch if you just let me get my stuff."

"Mhm...Oh no" Hermione protested. "Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall made it very clear that we are supposed to try and act like civilized persons to each other. I will just transform something into a new bed."

They went inside the room and Hermione transformed an old chair into a four poster bed like Ron's and Harry's and made it.

"_Nice_" Draco thought but up loud he said "It better not crash from under me Granger."

"It won't" Hermione said coldly. Then she and Ginny left.

Harry, Ron and Draco all but their pyjamas on. Draco nearly sniggered at Ron's Chuddley Canons orange pyjamas and had a hard time not drooling when Harry undressed himself and put on blue and white pyjama pants with this kind of Scottish pattern and a white TShirt. He only put on a black satin pyjama pants.

They all went to bed silently and as they were drifting off to sleep dead tired the same thought went through all of their heads.

_ "These next couple of days are going to be very difficult"_

TBC

Reviews are my drug. Pretty please give me a fix.


	6. Dreaming

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **the-4gotten-marauder,  
**Rating:** (this chapter) R  
**Word Count: **5762 words.  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language, sexual activity, masturbation.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Draco has a dream.

**Note: **Thanks to the 642 people who have read the story and special thanks to thrnbrooke who has reviewed every chapter so far. Other reviews wouldn't go a miss either.

There Is a Thin Line Between Hate and Love - Chapter 6. Dreaming

_They were standing in an empty hallway. Draco was looking at Harry. He was looking Harry in the eyes. Then Draco said the four words he had been wanting to say to him for months. _

_ "Harry I love you"_

_ Harry didn't say anything. He looked at Draco for a second. Then he walked towards Draco, nailed him up against the wall and started kissing him. They were standing there kissing for, what Draco felt, was like an eternity. Harry's hands were locked in Draco's hair this whole time but then they start to move! Downwards! Draco's breath was caught in his throat out of excitement. Draco could feel Harry's own Excitement pressing up against his thigh. Draco felt Harry's hands going down his chest, down his stomach really slowly and finally reaching Draco's hips. Harry unzipped Draco's jeans and started moving his hand inside his fly, then he hesitated. _

_ "Please" Draco whimpered._

_ All of sudden Harry snored." Wait a second? He snored?" Draco thinks. He looked at Harry and then Harry snores again..._

Draco opened his eyes, sat up and looked around. He saw Harry sleeping peacefully in the bed next to him and Ronald snoring in the bed next to Harry. Draco moaned and fell back on his pillow with his face in his hands.

_"Oh man I can't believe Weasley's snores woke me up when things were just getting exciting between me and Harry. BLOODY BLEEDING HELL!"_ He thought. Then he noticed that the dream had left physical evidence on him. He's having a little bit of...O.K. that was a lie. A HUGE problem happening between his legs. Draco moaned again and looked at the clock it showed that it's only 3 o'clock.

_"That means that I have only been a sleep for thr...no wait I went to sleep at ten. Like everybody else did. Hey! That means I got five hours sleep. Not bad. The most sleep I've gotten this summer."_

Draco thought and even managed a smile. He decided that since he was up (in more ways than one) it was time for a shower. He got up and got himself clean clothes and a towel. Then he headed down the hall towards the bathroom. He got into the shower and turned on the water in the coldest setting he could muster. When feeling the tension leaving his shoulder and feeling how invigorated he was after five hours of almost peaceful sleep Draco realized that he hadn't had that dream.

All summer Draco had been haunted by a dream, where he would be watching himself standing in the Astronomy tower ready to lower his wand. Then Snape comes bursting in and kills Dumbledore. He would see that green flash hitting Dumbledore straight in the chest over, and over, and over. Until waking up. Covered in sweat and gasping for air.

If he was not having that dream he would be dreaming of himself standing in an empty hallway. Harry would always be there too. He would look at Harry and then say those four words: "_Harry I love you"_. The beginning would always be the same. It was Harry's reaction that would change almost every time. Sometimes Harry would just walk away. Other times Harry would start yelling at him, calling him a freak and disgusting, sometime that dream would come with Harry bashing him. Other time he would just yell or not yell just bash. Sometimes Harry would say very matter of fact "_but I don't love you Draco. I'm sorry."_ Other times Harry would say those same words but his eyes would be filled with sadness. Those times Draco was sure he was lying in an attempt to try and be "normal". One terrible night Draco had dreamt that Harry was really in love with him but he had still said _"but I don't love you Draco. I'm sorry. I'm in love with Ginny" _Draco could see it from his eyes that he was lying and then Harry had turned around and there Ginny stood, dressed in a wedding dress. Harry was wearing a suit and then Harry had been walking away from him towards Ginny taking her hand and walking away to be married to her. That night Draco had also woke up gasping for air and covered in sweat.

And then there was The Dream. The Dream like the one he had been having just minutes before. Where Harry wouldn't say anything but simply walk towards Draco and start kissing him. The first time Draco had had that dream their lips had just touched when he woke up. Every time he had that dream after that it would go a little bit further and tonight...

Draco closed his eyes. He could still feel Harry's hand roaming over his chest and stomach. Lower and lower. He had been so close. Draco could just imagine what would have happened next. Harry's hand would have gripped him firmly and then started to pull. Draco moaned at the thought and noticed that his "little" problem hadn't gone away despite the very cold shower. He supported himself against the shower wall with his left hand and started bringing his right hand down imagining it was Harry's hand, not his own, doing the job. Down his chest Harry's hand went. Then down his stomach reaching his "problem". It was hard and full. Harry gripped his erection firmly and then started to pull, but just once then he stopped. Now Draco was so far gone into his fantasy that he said out loud, moaning "Move it Harry...please." Harry started to move his hand. Up and down. Down and up. Draco gasped. "Faster". And faster Harry went. Draco could feel himself getting closer and then he came moaning, almost whispering "Harry". The white seed got mixed with the shower water and got down the drain. Spent and very much relaxed Draco finished cleaning himself turned off the cold water got out and got himself dried and dressed.

When Draco stepped out of the bathroom and looked at the time it was only four o'clock. He had at least three hours to spend before anyone would wake up. Draco decided to go and have a look at his aunt's house. The next couple of hours Draco spent walking around looking at every room that was not occupied with a sleeping resident. While walking around his thoughts wandered and finally they stopped at the one thought constantly occupying his mind. Harry Potter.

_"No wonder he and his friends hate me. I've been such an ass to them over the years. If I want them to like me I'm going to have to start being a little bit nicer to them. Get along with them. That is the least I can do to make amends for me behaviour over the years. Just last night I could have said _"Nice"_ to Granger instead of just thinking that but no I had to say _"It better not crash from under me Granger". _She was being so nice and I was a complete bastard. Well that is going to change from now on. I'm going to be nice and I'm going to apologize to them first chance I get. They won't believe me unless I show them I've changed."_

When just finishing thinking that Draco walked into the kitchen. It's almost half past eight now and the first thing he saw was Molly Weasley with her back turned towards him busying herself with cooking breakfast.

"_Well there is no time like the present"_ He thinks.

Draco made his presence know by clearing his throat. Mrs. Weasly, startled turned around.

"Oh my" she said when noticing that in was only Draco that was the source for that noise "You startled me Mr. Malfoy."

"Please Mrs. Weasley call me Draco, Mr. Malfoy is my father. Not mine."

"All right then Mr. Mal... I mean Draco" Mrs. Weasley said smiling.

"Mrs. Weasley. I'm sorry"

"What do you mean Draco?" Mrs. Weasley asked confused

"I'm sorry for the way I treated your children over the years especially your two youngest."

"I... I really...what on earth or you on about Draco?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Your kids never told you or Potter or Granger? No one told you anything." Draco asked _"Am I really going to have to tell her I treated her kids like dirt and then apologize. That is just great!"_ he thought.

"Tell me what Draco. I don't know..."

"I bullied them. All of them... well not your two oldest boys but that was just because they weren't in school at the same time that I was. But the rest of your kids. The one with the glasses that was a prefect, the twins, Ronald and the girl and of course Granger and Potter. I persecuted them. I talked down to them, I taunted them about everything. I did mean pranks on them. They can't even be called pranks since they weren't funny! At all! I hid their things, tripped them, ruined their homework, and spoiled their work in class and the things that I said to them. I would call them things like lousy, poor, pathetic, smelly, redhead, weasel, freckles... and I'm not even going to tell you the worst words I used. Those were just the ones I used every day. But the worst ones had the M and B word amongst them1. Then I would taunt them like I said until they got so furious that they would try and fight back then I would pretend that they hid me and get them in detention or they would have house points taken from them. I'm not proud of this. When Ronald and the girl started playing Quidditch I invented a song that Slytherin used in every game. It was called Weasley's Our King. It was because he did so badly in his first game that Gryffindor lost and we decided to taunt him about his Keeper skills by singing this song. When I think of this I'm so ashamed and I don't even know that person that used to act like this anymore. So I will just say again I'm really sorry Mrs. Weasley and..."

"How was that song?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted Draco, her voice shaking with what was clearly rage."

"I really don't want to..."

"Sing it!"

"Mrs. Weasley I..."

"Now!" Mrs. Weasley almost yelled.

Draco swallowed the lump in his throat and started to sing:

_Weasley cannot save a thing,_  
_He cannot block a single ring,_  
_That's why Slytherins all sing:_  
_Weasley is our King._

_Weasley was born in a bin_  
_He always lets the Quaffle in_  
_Weasley will make sure we win_  
_Weasley is our King._

_Weasley is our King,_  
_Weasley is our King,_  
_He always lets the Quaffle in_  
_Weasley is our King._

When Draco finished Mrs. Weasley was staring at him furious. "I see. So that's the opinion you have on my family? I thought you were a nicer person than your father. I even defended you against my husband a couple of days ago when he was agreeing to Alastor saying that you were just like your father. I told him no, that boy is different, I told him. But clearly you are just the same. Why didn't my kids say anything? Why did they keep this a secret from me?" Mrs. Weasley said more to herself than Draco.

"Mrs. Weasley I'm so sor..."

"Get out!" Mrs. Weasly all of sudden said.

"What?"

"Get out of this room now. I don't want to see your face. And to imagine that I defended you. Called you a sweet boy, well-mannered to my husband. That was clearly just what you wanted us to see when you were trying to get into our good books. GET OUT NOW! NO ONE DOES THOSE THINGS TO MY KIDS AND GETS MY FORGIVNESS."

At that moment Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked in. They saw Mrs. Weasley standing with a spade in her hand waving it about and Draco standing opposite her looking ashamed and terrified.

"Mo...Mom?" Ron asked. "What's going on Mom?"

Mrs. Weasley turned around looking at her children and the two she considered her own. She had tears in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked with broken voice.

"Tell you what Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked.

"Why didn't you tell me how that boy was bullying you at school? Taunting you, calling you names and physically abusing you? I would have talked to someone and made it stop you know I would had"

"Mom how did you..." Ron started to ask but Draco interrupted him.

"Because I told her Weasley. I came in her asking for her forgiveness and she didn't know. So I told her and now she thinks less of me than she did before."

"_He told her?" _Harry thought when hearing Draco's word _"He was apologizing...Malfoy apologizing that's unbelievable"_

Mrs. Weasley was battering Ron and Ginny about not telling her what was going on at school and then Draco interrupted her.

"I'm still sorry Mrs. Weasley. I never should have done those things to your kids, said those things. And like I said I'm not that person anymore and I really hope that you will forgive me one day. I will just go now. I only have one favour to ask. Don't tell my mom. I'm going to tell her soon how I have been behaving at school but I want it to come from me not you."

"All right Mr. Malfoy I can respect your wishes." Mrs. Weasley said coldly "But I will not forgive you until you apologize to my kids and they forgive you. But now, everyone sit down. It's time for breakfast. The rest of the people will probably be down in a minute. You too Mr. Malfoy I'm not going to starve you, just because I don't particularly like you right now"

At that moment Narcissa and Claudia walked in along with McGonagall and the rest of the house residents. Narcissa looked around in the tension filled room and saw the look of embarrassment on her son.

"Good morning. Is everything all right in here?" Narcissa asked.

"I..." Draco started but Mrs. Weasley interrupted him.

"Yes everything is fine. The kids were just going to sit down and have breakfast. Weren't you kids?" Mrs. Weasley said and looked at the Harry and the rest.

"Oh...yeah...sure...right" they all answered flabbergasted.

Everyone sat down for breakfast. During breakfast no one was saying a lot. On the other hand no one was used to this kind of company at breakfast. Malfoy's and Weasley's, eating breakfast together. Ron and Harry had made a little bet about whet ever or not Narcissa or Draco would say anything snobbish about the breakfast. Ron was sure he had won when Narcissa gave the food a funny look, but she said nothing so eventually Harry wound up the winner. On their way down to breakfast Harry, Ron and Hermione had talked about how formal Narcissa and Draco seemed to be to each other and during breakfast Harry noticed that formality kept on going. Narcissa would call him Draco, not dear or anything sweet like that and Draco would call her mother, not mom, or even mommy. Harry also noticed that it was the exact opposite with Claudia. Narcissa would call Claudia honey and Claudia would say mommy. Narcissa would help her with the breakfast a lot more than an eleven year old needed help with.

The Malfoy's were sitting pretty far from Harry and the rest down the table so they couldn't hear each other talk. While the breakfast was still ongoing Hermione leaned over the table and got the attention of Harry and Ron whom had both been watching the interaction between the three Malfoy's closely.

"Well at least it looks like Malfoy treats his little sister nice." Ron said when Draco nodded his head and smiled a bit after Claudia had whispered something in his ear and then given him a kiss on his cheek. "What is it Hermione?" He asked when Hermione said "Guys" for the dosent time.

"Haven't you guys noticed?" she asked.

"Noticed what Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yeah what?" Ron agreed.

"You guys can be so thick sometimes" Hermione sighed. Harry and Ron simply started at her blanked face "Look at Mrs. Malfoy and Malfoy." She said.

"Yeah...?" Harry said "and...?"

"Then look at the little girl, what's her name...? Claudia"

"Why Hermione...what are you...?" Harry started to say

"Just do it!" Hermione snapped.

Harry did. He looked at Narcissa and Draco first. He saw their straight blond hair, their ice gray eyes and pale skin. Then he looked at Claudia. Then he shook his head and looked again. And he saw...he saw the black curly hair, the dark brown almost black eyes and the brown skin...he had looked at Claudia the night before but not really Seen her.

_"How could I not see this?"_ He thought. Then he said up loud. "How could I not see this Hermione?"

"Exactly." Hermione said a bit cocky. "I just saw it myself like two minutes ago"

"What are you guys talking about? What am I supposed to be seeing here?" Ron asked confused.

"Look Ron." Harry said and took Ron's head and turned towards the Malfoys.

"Yeah and what am I looking at" Ron said.

"Wow Ron, I think we should go and get your head scanned. Maybe you're just still half asleep but you are usually not that slow!" Hermione stated.

"Hey!" Ron said offended.

"Look at them Ronald." Hermione tried again. "Look first at Mrs. Malfoy and Malfoy then at Claudia. What do you see? Describe them for us."

"Eh... O.K. because we have not seen the Malfoys like a thousand times." Ron said sarcastically. "Right! Eh Malfoy and his mom are both blonds, gray-ish eyes and pale skin and the little girls she's the same like all Malfoys. Black hair, bro... WOW! WAIT! BLA...!"

"Harry!" Hermione urged when Ron almost started screaming. Harry grabbed Ron and held his mouth.

"Is everything all right there?" McGonagall asked down the table.

"Yeah everything is fine professor." Hermione said a bit too cheerily.

Harry let go of Ron's mouth and Ron, pretty upset started to babble.

"They...they...she...not..."

"We know Ronald" Hermione said. "We know! Are we finished with the breakfast?"

"Hell yeah!" Both Harry and Ron said at the same time.

They all stood up and headed out of the kitchen. Like there was a silent agreement going on they all went to the living room with the Black family tree in it. When they got inside and closed the doors they all grabbed chairs and sat down, looked at each other in amazement and then Harry said.

"Are we blind? How could we not see this right away?"

"Clearly there is some big secret that the Malfoy's are not sharing." Hermione said

"She doesn't even look like the rest of them at all. How do they think they're kidding" Ron said.

"They sure kidded you" Hermione said.

"Oh shut up. I'm so used to the Malfoy's that I just didn't pay attention to this.

"So what do you guys think? How come she's like this?" Harry wondered. "You think she's adopted or..."

"Mhmm...No way" Both Hermione and Ron said together.

"There is no way Lucius Malfoy would ever adopt a child. There is no way for him to know if it's a pureblood or not. He wouldn't do that, he's way too obsessed about pure blood." Hermione explained.

"That's true" Harry said. "So what do you think?"

"You know what I think." Ron said. "I think that Lucius cheated on his wife. The other women got pregnant and then he took the baby."

"Yeah I think that's the most likely explanation." Harry and Hermione agreed.

Then they heard someone starting to open the door. They stopped talking and started at the doors. And then Ginny walked in.

"Hi. I just wanted to tell you that last night Snape went on his little mission and he just got back half an hour ago. They're having a meeting right now and Snape is telling how it went. I'm gonna go and check if I can find anything out."

Ginny left and came back after five minutes.

"What happened?" The trio asked her.

Ginny sighed and Harry noticed that she was really pale and looked worried "Mom caught me spying. When I came they were leaving the meeting. But mom kinda figured that I was spying for you so she just decided to save everyone a lot of time and told me what went on the meeting."

"So what happened?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah spit it out Ginny." Ron added.

Ginny sighed again. "Well mom told me that Snape's meeting with You-Know-Who went according to plan. He believes that Snape and Malfoy are spying on us, the Order, for Him and that we believe them to have turned their back on You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters and that we believe that He's furious with them and wants them dead. Snape even reported that You-Know-How has told all the Death Eaters what's going on and ordered them to act towards Malfoy and Snape like they're traitors. He also told them..." At that point Ginny stopped and Harry could see there was something wrong, Ginny had tears in her eyes.

"Common Ginny" he said and pointed her towards the chair. "Sit down, just breathe. What is it?"

"Ron!" Ginny sobbed through her hands and looked at her brother with tears in her eyes. "Snape said that they are going to attack our house on Bill and Fleur's wedding day in an attempt to kill as many people in the Order as they can and to capture Harry. They decided to cancel the wedding and Mom and Dad are going to the Burrow to get some of our family things that they don't want to get ruined as well as clothes for them and us. They all decided in unison not to try and get all our stuff. Because that would be suspicious and they want the attack to go as planned. Then they can ambush the Death Eaters."

"Wow...!" Ron said speechless. "That's...wow. So what will happen to our house in all this?"

"I don't know Ron I really don't know." Ginny sobbed.

Ron got up and went over to his little sister and starting hugging her. Hermione and Harry looked at each other not sure what to do.

"Should we go and talk to McConagall?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Nah" Harry answered. "Ginny already told us everything. So I guess that the Malfoy's know what is going on. Mrs. Malfoy is allowed on meetings that concern her, Malfoy and Claudia."

"Yeah they probably do." Hermione agreed.

After a while Ginny stopped sobbing and they talked about Draco briefly and Harry's decision on believing him and Snape. After a while and after Harry told them the explanations that McConagall gave to him about why the Order decided to believe them both Hermione and Ron decided to believe them too, but like Harry not to trust them.

"I believed them right away. But on the other hand I always had a thing for Malfoy" Ginny told them.

"GINNY!!!" Ron yelled shocked. "How can you be attracted to that ferret?"

"He was never mean to me, like he was to you. He just ignored me. Let's talk about something fun." Ginny said changing the subject. "I don't want to think about this crazy war anymore. Saturday is only three days away and if I think about it too much I won't be able to sleep for the rest of the week."

"O.K lets. It's way too depressing to think about this." Ron said.

They spent the next couple of hours talking and joking around with each other. Totally forgetting about next Saturday or the events of past few days. Then the doors to the living room were opened once again. In walked Draco and Claudia. Harry and the rest stopped talking right away looking at them.

"We can come back later." Draco said and prepared to leave.

"No Draco I want to see it now. Pretty please you promised!" Claudia begged tugging Draco's arm.

"Do you mind? We have been looking at the house all morning and she has been dying to see this." Draco begged

Harry looked at his friends, how looked just as puzzled.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." He said.

"Thank you. I promise we will disturb you as little as possible and be as quick as we can. " Draco said.

Harry and the other watched as Draco and Claudia walked passed them straight to the wall in the far end of the room. The wall which had the Black Family Tree on it. To Harry's and the other's amazement Draco and Claudia started studying it. Very closely and respectfully. They pointed at their ancestors naming their names and figuring out how much they were related to them, naming memorable stuff those relatives did. After about half an hour of this Claudia pointed at one of the burn marks asking.

"What's this?"

"Those are our relations who were or are... how can I say this? Not worthy of the honour of having their names on our family tree. So our aunt Walburga burned their names off." Draco said and when saying that he just happened to look at the people sitting in the chairs in the living room. He had felt their gaze on them the entire time and now he saw that they had a look of shock on their faces _"Who do they thing they are?" _He thought _"Are we not allowed to treat our ancestors with respect like they are. Just because some of our ancestors and relatives were a little dodgy. Well I'm going to show them. No more mister nice guy."_

"Oh." Claudia said. Then to the horror of the people how were listening she added. "Well that's understandable. Who wants to be reminded of relatives whom are embarrassing to have? So who are those unworthy relatives of ours?" she asked.

Draco started pointing at every burn mark telling the name of the relative behind it and what that person did to get erased from the Family Tree. Harry had a hard time not exploding when Draco named Sirius's name. Finally he pointed towards a mark pretty close the modern time. "And this is Cedrella Black she's third generation from our first ancestor Phineas Black. She was disowned because she married a blood traitor." At those words Draco turned his head staring directly at Ron. "Septimus Weasley!"

Claudia frowned and then you could see the light bolt click on in her head "Wait Weasley!" She said loudly. "Are we related to them?" She pointed at Ron and Ginny.

Draco sighed. "Unfortunately yes. But, and thank Merlin for not making That joke more cruel than it is. Those two and their brothers." At those words Draco nodded his head towards Ron and Ginny. "Are only sixth generation like you and me so they are not close relatives. Our only relative in common is Phineas Black!"

Harry had had enough he was going to say something but Ron said something first.

"A Joke?" He said loudly "A JOKE!" He screamed and got up off his chair. "Let's talk about a joke! How do you think it is for me and my family to be related to the Malfoy's or even the Black's? A bunch of psychopaths, sociopaths and Death Eaters! The few decent persons how has come from those families! Like Sirius are disowned and erased from that holy tree of yours!"

"Well thank Merlin for that!" Draco answered back without hesitation. "With your family erased from the Tree at least no one will now that we are related to poor, blood traitors like the Weasleys!"

"How dare you?" Ron said.

"Uuhhh.. How dare I what?" Draco asked back "Telling the truth! Because that is the truth Weasley, your family is poor and you are all blood traitors! Is that some breaking news to you? Just look at what you are wearing! Think why no respectable pure blood ever talks to you! That should be a clue!"

"Well then you clearly are not a "respectable" pure blood Malfoy!" Harry all of sudden say. "Because you are talking to him right now!"

"Draco I'm going to go now." Claudia said, who had been looking at the exchange getting more and more frightened. "Thank you for showing me our Tree." At those words she ran out of the room slamming the door behind her."

"Damn! She's going to get someone to stop the fight. We are supposed to be getting along not fighting. We better stop or we'll get into trouble." Draco said when he remembered that Claudia almost never ran except when it involved an emergency.

"What is it Malfoy. You not man enough to finish the fight you started?" Harry asked mockingly.

Draco opened his mouth to insult Harry back remembering what Harry said about him not being a respectable pureblood. Then he thought better off it.

"You know what Potter? I'm going to be the bigger man here and the proper pureblood and walk away from this."

Draco walked out of the room closing the doors behind him. _"I need my smokes, and my music"_ He thought running upstairs to his, Ron's and Harry's room, grabbing his CD player from the bed stand table, his smokes from his pocket inside his robes and then he ran outside. Turning on the CD player with shaking hands and then lighting his cigarette.

Inside the living room Hermione looked from the closed door at the boys. "McGonagall is going to be furious when she finds out about this. She wanted us to try and act like civilised persons to each other. Remember?"

Harry and Ron started protesting

"Malfoy started it. He called my family a joke." Ron said.

"Malfoy was challenging Ron. You saw that he looked Ron into the eyes when literally calling his family a joke." Harry agreed.

"No we started it. We were the ones looking at him like he was crazy for treating his family tree with respect. It's his family! And if purebloods are taught anything is that family is everything, even if they are not the nicest people in the world. Besides I think we should try and take the higher road and go and apologise to him."

Harry looked at Ron. Ron's look was that of pleading.

"She's right mate, unfortunately." Harry said apologisingly.

"Yeah she is. She always is" Ron agreed. "Let's go look for him then." He said.

The four of them all went looking for him. Finally the only place they have left is the back yard. They looked outside and there Draco was.

"There he is." Ginny said. "What's he doing? Is he smoking?" She asked.

"Yeah he is." Hermione said "and he's...dancing?" She asked really surprised.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were no less surprised and for a few minutes they just stared at Draco dancing his heart out in an unbelievable dance.

Draco was just totally lost in his own world where there was nothing but him, his smokes and his music.

"_I love these songs." _He thought when the song "_What is Love_" with Night at the Roxbury finished and the CD started playing "_With Every Heartbeat_" with Robyn and Kleerup. He kept on dancing and smoking and listening to "_With Every Heartbeat." _Just as the chorus was starting Draco had the feeling that someone was watching him. He turned around and saw to his horror that there was not only one person looking at him but four. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. His eyes bulged out and he thought _"Oh no, please no!"_ and he stopped dancing , almost frozen in his steps. _"What can I say? What can I say?" _He thinks but before he could say anything Hermione, always the ice breaker said.

"You're dance is unbelievable, do you do that often?"

"_They are not going to mock me?"_ He thought puzzled _"That would have been so much easier. How can I answer this nice question? I could insult them, use sarcasm. Or I could just simply let my mask down be honest and nice and just say thanks. Yes I should. I'm going to."_

"Thank you and yes every chance I get." Draco says nicely letting his mask fall completely for a minute.

"_That was so not the Malfoy I know." _Harry thought _"That Malfoy is nice and honest like a normal human being. He's going to say something more. Wait! Oh no! This emotionless mask is coming back! Please don't do this Malfoy! For a second there I almost liked you."_

"_I can't do this" _Draco thought when trying to say something else. _"I can't show them what I feel. "Never show them your emotions Draco." Father used to say to me "Emotions make you weak and if you are weak your enemies can bring you down". These people are not my friends. They are my enemies. I need to say something the Malfoy they know would say. "_

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny could see Draco's emotionless mask fall into place.

"Now if you will excuse me! I'm going inside now" Draco said sounding like his old self. Then he walked passed the quartet and got inside.

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny were all as one amazed. Was Malfoy really capable of showing his emotions like that even though it was just for a minute? Then Ginny said what they were are all thinking. Excpecially Harry.

"Well what do you know? Malfoy actually has emotions. Who would have guessed?"

TBC

I would love some reviews. They help me update faster.

1 That's Mudblood and Bloodtraitor if you don't get this.


	7. Apoligizing

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Catium  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 3165  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.  
**Note:** Reviews are not overrated. I like them.

Chapter 7. Apologising. 

"_Now if you will excuse me! I'm going inside now" Draco said sounding like his old self. Then he walked past the quartet and got inside. _

_Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny were all as one amazed. Was Malfoy really capable of showing his emotions like that even though it was just for a minute? Then Ginny said what they were all thinking. Specifically Harry._

"_Well what do you know? Malfoy actually has emotions. Who would have guessed?"_

The next day Harry found himself sitting once again in the kitchen at number 12. Grimmauld Place, facing McGonagall. She had come busting into his, Ron's and Draco's room just 15 minutes earlier where they had been sleeping demanding the two of them had a meeting straight away. Harry had dragged himself out of bed dead tired. Now he was sitting downstairs and McGonagall was saying.

"Well Harry I'm sorry I dragged you out of bed but I'm a really busy woman and I've got a lot to do so I had to talk to you now. So have you decided whom you can trust with the mission of finding the Horcruxes?

"Yes I have" Harry said.

"Can I maybe get their names Harry?" McGonagall asked when Harry didn't say anything."

"Oh yes of course. Sorry professor" Harry said blushing with embarrassment. "I'm still pretty tired. Yeah ok so the persons I trust to do this mission are Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, Charley, Bill and Shacklebolt and of course you professor."

"Thank you so much Harry for trusting me with this mission. So I'm going to go and get those people to a meeting. Firecall the ones that aren't here." McGonagall left to get the ones Harry trusted for the mission.

Meanwhile Harry was alone with his thoughts but too tired to think anything.

Soon enough McGongall came back and with her the eight persons mentioned. After sitting down McGonagall and Harry explained together what was going on, what the mission's plan were and started planning how to find the rest of the missing Horcruxes. The mission was stamped top secret. Then they all grouped up and decided to start investigating if R.B. mentioned in the note was really Regulus Black, Sirius's brother.

After planning that, the rest of the Order was called for a meeting which was planning how to perform the counterattack when the Death Eaters would attack the Burrow tomorrow, at Fleur's and Bill's "wedding". When all of the Order had come inside McGonagall noticed Harry sitting in the corner playing invisible.

McGonagall smirked slightly at Harry's pretty good attempt to try and be at the meeting. Then she said, "Harry you're going to have to go now, I know you're not underage anymore but until you finish school you can't become and Order member those are the rules."

Harry left disappointed.

On Sunday afternoon Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were sitting in the living room talking about the events of the last few days.

"I just can't believe it." Ron said hiding his face in his hands. "I can't believe the Burrow is gone! I just..." Ron's voice faded out as something that sounded as a sob took over.

Hermione snorted "Those sons of a bitch. It's unbelievable that they burned down the Burrow when they realised the wedding was a trap."

"Dad said that it was clear that they had direct orders on only trying to catch Harry and not risking their lives. Otherwise they would have fought the Order. Instead they just apparated away, when they realised it was a trap and one of the Death Eaters sent a curse on the Burrow before apparating. Before the Order knew it the house was on fire. There was nothing they could do. It just burned. To the ground." Ginny said tears in her eyes.

"Well at least you will get a new house. Your mom and dad are already planning how to rebuild it." Harry said trying to get the siblings to see the bright side.

"Yeah that's true." Ginny said. "Maybe I will get a bigger room. But do you know what dad said? He said that the Death Eaters were already running away. Then one of them stopped turned around and threw the curse. He said that the Death Eater was clearly a women judging from her cloak and that she had long, black hair and when apparting away she was laughing. Like a mad person."

"Bellatrix!" Harry hissed "That bitch."

"We'll get her Harry. Eventually we'll get her and she will pay." Ron comforted his friend.

"Which bring us to another but related subject" Hermione all of sudden changed the conversation. "What are we going to do about Draco?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Yeah...he's a bastard as simple as that" Ron threw in.

"I don't think he's as bad as he pretends to be. You two were in the back yard as well. You saw him. For a minute there he was acting like a real human being. Not like his father's emotionless little clone."

"I think he's faking it. This thing...whatever it was in the back yard was just an act. An attempt to try and get into our good books like he was doing with Mrs. Weasley the other day." Harry said

"I agree and since he didn't manage it with mom he has decided to try it with us." Ron added.

"No I think his reactions were real as was his respond to Hermione's question. You could just see when he put his mask back on. The-I-don't-have-emotions-mask." Ginny argues back

"No!!! It's an act, come on Ginny." Harry said

You gotta be able to see that even though you fancy him." Ron added

"Nobody is that good of an actor. And he was embarrassed too. He's been ignoring us and when we see him, like we did the very next day and I was trying to say something about the incident in the yard he pretended like nothing had happened. I might fancy him but I'm not letting that infect my opinion on him like you're letting your hatred on him infect your opinion. So why don't you two get your heads out of your asses and see the truth which is that deep down Draco is an all right guy." Ginny hissed angry at Harry and Ron.

Harry and Ron looked at each other feeling a bit embarrassed. Harry could see the words _"Why do they always have to be right"_ reflect in Ron's eyes and he said

"O.K. so I guess we can agree to you that maybe just maybe Malfoy has emotions and isn't all that bad."

_"Why am I agreeing to this?"_ He questioned himself _"Maybe it's because you haven't been able to stop thinking about Malfoy ever since you saw him dance."_A nasty little voice inside his head whispered. _"You even had a...SHUT UP"_ Harry screamed at himself. Then he shook his head and heard as Ron mumbled sounding pissed off that he was always the one having to give in.

"Yeah I guess we can. But just remember. Emotions or not. He can still betray us. We can't trust him."

Just as Ron was saying those words the doors to the living room were opened and in walked none other than said Draco Malfoy. They looked at him as he stopped dead he starting backing out. He then stopped again and for a minute looked like he was arguing to himself. He opened his mouth...

Draco had been lying around doing nothing all day and decided to walk down to the living room and maybe find some books to read. He realised too late that there were some ones in the living room and just as he walked in he heard the last words Ron was speaking.

"We can't trust him"

Draco froze dead in his tracks. He looked at the foursome looking at him and started backing out. But at that moment that little voice starting making itself present again, now sounding awfully like his father.

_"Are you really going to run away like a coward? Why don't you stand up to yourself instead of running? For once be a man!"_

"_There is nothing I can say that won't make the situation worse. We had a huge fight on Thursday, and then they saw me dancing. They have probably been waiting for a chance to make fun of me." _Draco took a deep breath. _"Well now's their chance. I'm not going to run away I'm going to be a man. But I'm not going to insult them or stand up to them. I'm going to be a man for once and apologise. That is what I'm going to do father. Now shut up!"_

"Can I have a word with you?"

Ginny started to stand up like she's going to leave.

"No stay Weasley. You need to hear this too."

Harry looked at the other three when Draco told Ginny to stay.

"_What are you playing at Malfoy" _They all thought. Then Draco opened his mouth and what he had to say blew them away.

"I want to apologize to you. For everything. For all the things I've said to you and all the things I've done to you over the years. I know I've been a complete bastard to you. All of you. That's why I wanted you to stay Ginny. You've had your fare share of me. Whet ever you believe it or not the way I've been acting towards you haven't been easy for me. Well, at first it was natural because that was the way I was raised. My father imprinted it in me that anyone how wasn't pureblood like me wasn't worth a dime. That they were worth less than the dirt under my shoes. And that was the way I was supposed to treat them. Like shit. And that is what I did. Then after our little showdown Potter, in second year my ego was broken. Big time. A tiny little thought crept into my brain that possibly, other people, non-Purebloods might be just as good as me. You had managed to beat me in a duel after all and you were a Mudblood. According to my father that was not supposed to happen. But that thought disappeared as quickly as it came. Then our third and fourth year came and went and you three, well four would beat me in all sorts of things, Quidditch, getting better grades at school, or simply just beating me up."

At those words Hermione blushed a bit. The slap she had given Draco in third year still fresh in her mind.

"I had to use a spell to hide my mark for a week Granger, you can really slap a person when you want too. During those time that thought popped in me head again and again. Always getting more and more aggressive and every time it became harder for me to be an asshole to you. Then there was year five. He came back and all those bad things started happening. At first I was just like the rest of the pureblood kids raised to believe in the superiority of the Dark Lord and his followers. But then really bad things started to happen. People whom I knew for sure hadn't done anything to the Dark Lord, started disappearing, were found dead or were attacked. Simply for being not Purebloods. And not even people how could be dangerous to the Dark Lord but children and old people. That's when that thought first came to my head. This is wrong. This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong. This mantra went through my head over and over every time I read about one more pointless death, disappearing or attack. Every time I would shut that voice up and bury that thought deep in my head. Just for it to come back up. Then after year five."

Draco had to stop and take a deep breath.

"My father was in Azkaban. One night my and Mother were sitting in the living room reading. Claudia had gone to bed. After my father's arrest I was starting to rethink everything. The first thought was that maybe the Dark Lord was wrong. Maybe Muggleborns and Bloodtraitors weren't that bad. At least they shouldn't die for just not having the right blood. That was a really rational thought. If all the Muggleborns and Bloodtraitors would die, then the Wizard kind would be endangered. We would be extinct, it's as simple as that. And I didn't understand why He couldn't see that. But at the same time I thought that He knew that. He is just killing people how are or will be dangerous to Him. He knows the people who are, even if I don't. When thinking those thought we had a visitor. It was aunt Bellatrix. She had come to fetch me and bring me to the Dark Lord. _"It's time you get your assignment"_ She said. I knew what assignment that was. The one every potential Death Eater has to go through to be qualified. I was thrilled. I got the house elf to fetch my clock and we left immediately."

Draco stopped speaking again. When he started talking again his voice was hoarse.

"I was not thrilled for long. As soon as I saw Him I got scared. One look in His eyes and I was terrified. I didn't know...Father never told me....never told me that He..."

"You didn't know how he looks like. Did you?" Harry asked quietly.

"No I did not" Draco answered. "And at that moment I knew why my father had always refused telling me how he looked like. I asked him a million times. Wanting to connect a face to that name. He didn't want to scare me. I would have been scared. No kid would not be terrified of hearing how that... Thing looks like. I managed to hide how scared I was. Then He told me the assignment. To kill Albus Dumbledore. One look into His eyes told me that He didn't want me to succeed. He wanted me to fail. He wanted me to die in order to punish my father for failing his assignment in the Department of Mysteries. Then He said. _"If you fail this assignment you will die, so will your father, mother and baby sister. Although I should have killed her a long time ago"_ That was the turning point for me. I knew at that moment that my family had been working for a madman. I knew that if I failed the assignment He would kill me to punish my father then kill him and mother and Claudia. And if I managed the assignment He would do the same. Failing an assignment has become a death sentence for the Death Eater involved and his family. This assignment that I was given was just an excuse for Him to kill His most loyal Death Eater and his family without losing followers. He is fucking crazy. He has started to kill everyone. Every single Death Eater that fails. No matter how pure their blood is. He will kill them mercilessly. He will kill everyone who are Bloodtraitors and all who are Mudbloods. At first His intentions might have been just to clean out the unwanted. The worst. But now, there are no intentions, no plan. He just wants to see the Wizarding world, burn. When He has finished killing everyone there won't be 100 Wizards left in Britain. If I think about all the Purebloods who He would consider worthy of living then there are only around 50 of them. And they are all too related to marry and have kids. If they do their children will be either physically or mentally retarded. Like I said that was the turning point. But it was too late to turn back. So I accepted and convinced myself that I could do this. When I realised I could not...it was too late. I watched helpless as Dumbledore was murdered. The bright, warm days of last summer I spent in a little cold dungeon room, with Snape of all people, making up a plan to get myself to the Order. To the right side like Dumbledore called them. A plan to get them...you to believe me. I hope you believe me now and that you will one day find it in your hearts to forgive me. I'm not asking you to accept my apologies yet. But I hope that you will eventually do so. And that maybe, one day you will start trusting me. That you will believe that I'm being sincere about...everything. Because I am trying even though it is killing me. Malfoy's are not raised to show their emotions, their true inner self. To anyone. Ever. But usually they don't have to, usually they are just bastards and don't have anything more to show than the eye can see. Maybe we will even, one day, become friends."

After all this the foursome was looking at him with a stunned expression on their face. Harry was the first one to snap out of it and respond to Draco's words.

"We have to have time to think about this. We aren't sure that we can trust you yet."

"I understand." Was all Draco said.

Draco turned around and got ready to leave. But before exiting the door he turned around and said.

"I am going to earn your trust, sooner rather than later. My actions are sincere and you will see that soon. If you thought you knew me from all those years at school. Well then you thought wrong"

TBC


	8. Dancing Queen

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **the-4gotten-marauder  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count: **1644  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.  
**Note: **Don't forget that reviews are love

Chapter 8. Dancing Queen

August passed on day by day and it became tradition for Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Draco to meet every day after breakfast in the Black family tree, living room. There they would talk about everything and nothing. Their conversations were usually pretty shallow and it didn't make it any easier to talk about serious stuff that Draco would still call the quartet by their last names and they his.

One day near the end of August the fantastic five were sitting like before in the living room talking about things they like. This conversation had been going on for a while and Draco hadn't said a word. Then he started to speak and the conversation soon took a surprising twist.

"I like muggle stuff" he all of sudden spoke up.

The quartet looked at him, shocked out of their minds.

Did the Slytherin Pureblood just say that he liked muggle stuff?

Draco saw their stunned faces, sighed and said.

"My grandfather had a brother. A lifetime bachelor and weirdo that was obsessed about muggle stuff and collected every single item that he could get his hands on. I found his quarters in Malfoy manor after our second year. That plus our little showdown earlier that year, like I've already told you, were the main events that made me realize that maybe muggles weren't that bad, well that and the fact that a lot of people at school, even the Purebloods were talking about muggles and muggle stuff like it was normal."

"Well yeah...that's because it is normal Malfoy. Maybe different from what we are used to but normal never the less." Ron said.

"It wasn't considered normal where I grew up. Everything about muggles and muggle related stuff was considered an abomination in my home. My father taught me to hate muggles just as much as Muggleborns, NonPurebloods and Bloodtraitors even more, if anything. My opinion of muggles until that point was even lower than my opinion on NonPurebloods and Bloodtraitors (Draco had been forced by the quartet to stop saying Mudblood so he had turned to the more friendly word NonPurebloods )."

"Were you taught anything by your father other than to hate everyone different from you?" Hermione asked

"YES Granger!!!" Draco half screamed, insulted by Hermione's comment. "Of course I bloody was. Anyway after my third year I started getting myself stuff, like TV, VCR player, stereo, and computer in my rooms at the Manor. I also started to watch, listen, reading and collecting Muggle movies, music and books. I was...amazed at how talented the Muggles are. Wizards don't make movies and it should be easier for us to with magic and everything, but Muggles do. And their music, books and just everything has more variety in it than our music, our books. It's like they have more imagination. At first I couldn't believe it but then I simply accepted it and started to enjoy it. Now I can't live without me daily dose of music."

"Were you listening to muggle music? That day in the back yard." Hermione asked when Draco stopped talking.

"Yes. Yes I was" Draco answered.

The quartet carried on the conversation now talking about stuff like music they liked and movies they had seen. Ron and Ginny hadn't seen any movies but were dying to do so. Draco faded out of the conversation, staring at Harry and forgetting himself in the progress. After a while everyone had stopped talking and silence settled over the living room.

_"I really want to get some reaction out of Harry right now."_ Draco thought _"He's so relaxed, not expecting anything, I wonder how he would react if I...no...no I can't..._

_Wait I'm a Malfoy. We can do anything we want, when we want to. No regrets, no apologizes. Ever."_

"So have any of you had sex?"

Harry had been far into his thoughts. Pondering on about...well...Malfoy. Whom just kept on surprising him. Like who would have guessed that the stuck up, snobbish, hates muggles, Pureblood really liked muggles and muggle stuff? Then he had heard Draco's question.

_"That smug, arrogant bastard. How dare he asking us something like that?"_

"I don't think that's any business of yours Malfoy." Harry said his voice shaking with anger.

"That just means you haven't." Draco replied then forgetting everything he had promised himself about being nice and added. "I'm sorry I forgot that I'm not talking to my Slytherin mates but to some blue eyes Gryffindors."

"So you have then?" Ginny asked.

Ron tried desperately to shush her but didn't succeed.

"Yes I have, and as a matter of fact everyone in my year in Slytherin has. We decided to have it over and done with, in our fourth year and used the change that rose with the Yule Ball that Christmas." Draco told them

"So you just what? Picked who had sex with whom".

"Pretty much. We decided to keep it within the Slytherin house and our year. That way we could at least assure that our first time was with a pureblood"

"So who did you have sex with then?" Ginny asked now keeping up the conversation as the Golden Trio sat there mouths open listening.

"Who do you thing Weasley?" Draco asked back.

Then to Draco's surprise Harry all of sudden joined the conversation

Let me guess...." He thought. "Parkinson perhaps?"

"Bulls eye Potter." Draco answered him. "Although now when I think back I can't believe I managed to perform although it was just that one time."

"_That was an dose of over sharing. Over sharing I'm telling you Malfoy. You better back out...NOW!" _Draco thought to himself. He started to stand up and getting ready to leave the room saying.

"Well this has been awfully nice. Let's do this again sometime soon. Well got to go now..." Draco said getting to the doors. Then Hermione mustered up her courage and asked.

"Why only that one time? I thought Pansy's your girlfriend"

Draco snorted "We were engaged from age 5 until our fifth year but then her father after her request broke it off"

"How come?" Hermione asked.

"Because Granger our engagement was based on us staying true to one another. After our first time together I realised who I was. That I had never had any romantic feelings for her. But all those years my dad had made it perfectly clear that she was the only respectable, rich, pureblood girl my age that I could marry. So I tolerated her being my girlfriend although I just wanted her to be my friend. That was until I realised who I was. I told her in honesty that I had never really liked her romantically, more just like a friend. She told me that her feelings were mutual. Then she told her dad that the terms for our engagement were broken, so we broke off the engagement. I started dating a person that I fell for and that fell for me shortly after Easter in our fourth year and then in secrecy during our fifth year although the whole of Slytherin knew. They just knew better than to tell anyone about it. Because my father couldn't find out. Pansy's father had told my father on Pansy's request that she had found another boy. In our six year we weren't really dating. We did meet every chance we got. But he didn't want to date someone officially who had a mission like mine was. His family has always been neutral in the war and he wasn't going to take sides now, not for me or anyone. And now I don't know. Maybe we will meet up. Maybe not. I'm kind of over him anyway."

"Wait, wait" Harry said "Did you just say him?"

Draco thought for a second about not answering this question but then he didn't see a point in arguing about this so he simply said

"Yes I said him. I was dating Blaise Zabini during the end of our fourth year and our fifth. Openly in the Slytherin house but almost no one knew in school outside our house. But I thought everyone knew the other thing. It isn't even that big of a deal to me. After the Yule Ball and my and Pansy having sex I realized who I am. I told everyone that I hang around with in Hogwarts about it and I just assumed everyone knew. Usually news travels fast at Hogwarts. But either way I'm gay! I thought you knew."

After revealing those news Draco walked out of the room. Leaving Harry and the others in ave.

"He...he... he's gay." Is all that Ron managed to utter after a long silence.

"Yeah" Ginny replied "and he's a Dancing Queen. Fancy that."

TBC


	9. Back To Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count: **4949  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

The Golden Trio and the newest member of the team Draco are going to Hogwarts again. What will happen? Read and find out.

**Note: **Thanks to the 870 people who have read. I really like that you like my story, and as always special thanks to thrnbrooke for reviewing on regular basis.

There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love - Chapter 9. Back To Hogwarts.

It was the 31 of August. Harry and Ron were packing for Hogwarts and were in pretty good spirits.

The day before McGonagall had called Harry to a "mission" meeting and told him that the Necklace had been found and destroyed. It had been discovered in Kreachers lair. He had nicked it and hit it away when they had been cleaning the house two years earlier and throwing almost everything away. So now the only things left to find were something of Rawenclaw's and Huffelpuff's before reaching the Snake and then the main goal Voldemort.

Hermione and Ginny walked inside their room.

"Hey guys is Malfoy around?" Hermione asked.

"No" the boys answered in unison and Ron added:

"He's outside doing his usual routine" Ron turned around and pulled the curtains from the window, pointing outside to the backyard. There Draco was with his headphones in his ears, listening to his music, dancing and smoking.

Hermione sighed. "We really gotta tell him soon that we don't like him smoking and get him to stop. Anyway" She added. ". My and Ginny thinks it's time that we forgive Draco and even try to become his friends if he wants to. We are ready to forgive him. Are you?"

Harry was silent for a while thinking about Draco's revelation some weeks ago

"_Do I really want to become friends with someone who's a f.."_

"And don't you two dare to say anything about not wanting to become his friends because he's gay. It the same as me and Ginny not wanting to be your friends because you're straight. It's just stupid. Gay guys do not hit on every guy they see. Just like straight guys don't hit on every girl! He's not going to hit on you!"

Harry was silent for a while after Hermione's argument and then said

"O.K. yeah. I'm ready to forgive him. I'm not sure about becoming his friend just yet. But I'm willing to forgive him and start at least forming a friendship."

They looked at Ron who was very silent.

"But only if Ron agrees" Harry added. "We won't do this if you don't want to, you've taken more shit from him than any of us."

"I'm not sure I can become his friend right away, plus this gay thing is making me more uncomfortable around him. I'm willing, though, to forgive him and get a truce. But I don't think we should trust him quite just yet. Let's see how he gets when we go back to Hogwarts and starts hanging around his mates." Ron said.

"Ron's right. He might take a turn to the worse when we return to Hogwarts and he meets his old gang. We do not share any war information with him, yet but we should start forming a friendship with him. Agreed?" Hermione asked.

"Agreed." Harry, Ron and Ginny said and they all headed downstairs and outside where Draco was still dancing, listening to his music and smoking.

They looked at each other and silently asked who was going to interrupt him while he was dancing. Harry decided to be the brave Gryffindor and do just that.

He walked up to Draco and poked him in the back. Draco jumped around, dropping his cigarette.

Draco had been completely lost in his own little world of music, dancing and smoking. Then he felt someone poking him in the shoulder. Startled Draco twisted around and dropped his cigarette.

_"FUCK!!! Mother's caught me. She's finally caught me. I'm a dead man. Mother please!" _He was starting to beg, in his head. Upon seeing only Harry with the rest of the quartet behind him Draco calmed himself down and said.

"Damn Potter. You scared the living daylights out of me. I though Mother had caught me smoking." He said sounding pretty shaken up.

"Well if you're afraid of your mom finding out Malfoy then maybe you should just stop smoking." Harry said smirking at Draco's frightened face.

"It easier said than done to quit Potter. Besides it calms me down so all in all it's better to smoke and stay calm and cool than not to smoke and be a nervous wreck."

"Ok we can fight about this later" Harry said then added. "Malfoy can we talk?"

"Yeah sure Potter. What is it?" Draco asked sounding calm but his insides twisting to a knot.

"_They've decided they don't trust me after all and are going to kick me out. Oh Merlin no please" _He thought trying to find an argument strong enough so they wouldn't kick him out.

"Draco we've decided..." Harry began stopping to take a breath and then Draco grabs him saying.

"Please Potter don't kick me out. I'm telling the truth I Merlin honestly is. I'm not on His side anymore. I will die if you kick me out. Do you really want to have that on your conscience? I..."

"Malfoy...Malfoy...MALFOY!!!" Harry said a couple of times and then screamed at him. Finally getting through as Draco piped down. "Calm down Malfoy. I was trying to say that we've decided that we are going to forgive you for what you've done to us in the past and are willing to form a truce. We don't trust you though. Not yet. But you're getting there slowly. And if you want we can start to form a friendship. What do you say? Can we let the past be the past and start again? Harry asked holding out his hand for Draco.

Draco stared at the hand given out to him for a second then slowly reached out his hand and locked it with Harry's shaking it.

"I would really much like that. Draco Malfoy."

Harry realised that this was literally a new beginning with a reintroduction and everything.

"Harry Potter." He said

"It is nice to meet you Harry." Draco said smiling a bit.

At the sight of Draco smiling at him Harry's heart skipped a beat.

_"Man I hope this doesn't happen every time he smiles at me." _Harry thought. Not wanting to even think about the real reason for this skip of beat. Then saying and smiling at Draco back.

"It's nice to meet you too. Draco"

After that Draco went and shook hands with Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Doing the same reintroduction with them, calling them by their first names. He called Ron, Ronald though. Adding to him that he would start calling him Ron when he would feel that Ron was comfortable with it.

"All right. That's understandable." Ron said.

After that the quartet went in to keep on packing. Draco stayed outside since he had packed all his stuff days before. He started dancing again, a smile spreading out on his face when he thought about Harry's look when he had smiled at him.

1 of September arrived as usual with chaos as everyone was getting ready to go for another year at Hogwarts. Eventually everybody was safe and sound on board of the Hogwarts express. The ride was quite uneventful the fantastic five were reduced to four as Ginny left them to go hang out with her friends.

When Ginny left Harry sighed and said:

"I always forget during the summer that she doesn't hang around with us a lot in school."

Draco spotted Pansy, Grabbe, Goyle and some other of his Slytherin friends but they ignored him and threw nasty glares at him.

"_That's good they're acting towards me like I'm a traitor just like He told them to do. At least our plan is working perfectly so far."_ Draco thought.

The quartet arrived at the Hogsmade train station and made their way towards the horse less wagons. Everyone at the train station, that's the whole school, were staring at them like they were freaks. But then again it wasn't a common thing to see the Gryffindor Golden Trio hanging around the Ice Prince of Slytherin.

They heard people whisper as they started at them.

"What are they doing with Malfoy?" "What's Draco Malfoy doing with the Golden Trio?" "I'm gonna tell me dad about this as soon as I can!" "What's going on?"

That and many more things they could hear being whispered around them. As more people noticed them and they were exposed to more people Harry could see Draco putting his emotionless mask back on. Then they arrived at one of the wagons and open the door. They saw Neville sitting inside and Harry said.

"Hey ya Neville."

Neville smiled opening his mouth. But upon seeing Draco his smile fated away and horror came instead and was written all over his face. Draco gave him his famous Malfoy sneer and seeing that took all of Neville 's little courage away.

"Hey...guys!" He stuttered. "I...I'll see you later ok...I...I'm ju...just go..going to g..g...go and find..I lost my wand. Bye."

Neville ran past them and on the way sent Harry a look like he had betrayed him.

"Well that went well" Hermione commented. "Maybe if you hadn't sneered at him like this Draco."

"Well what was I supposed to do **Granger**?" Draco asked "Smile at him and say hi I know I've treated you like shit for years but I've decided to become one of the good guys._ Wanna be my friend? _He would have thought I was possessed"

Hermione turned around to stare at Harry and Ron her expression showing a huge surprise at Draco's all of sudden turn to the old nasty Malfoy.

Harry was shocked and as he and Ron got into the wagon (Ron's face was that of "I told you so.") he turned around and hissed at Draco.

"What the fuck was that _Malfoy?_ What happened with you trying to be nice to everyone so people will accept you as one of the good guys? You can't act like this anymore. Not if you wanna stay at our side."

Draco started to open his mouth to snap back at Harry when he realised that he was behaving like the old emotionless bastard Draco again and that of bloody course Harry was right. He couldn't act like this anymore. This nasty, emotionless, get people afraid to get respect Draco wasn't the Draco he wanted to be anymore. That was the Draco that his father had taught him to show the world. And that if he ever wanted to change he had to stop being afraid of showing his emotions, of being nice. Being an evil bastard maybe got you respect, like his father had taught him, but everybody hated you behind your back. Being nice could get him real friends, friends that would like him for him, not for the respect and power for being something you're not, but for being who you are. Why did he have to be afraid of that? He didn't, he shouldn't, he couldn't and wouldn't anymore. Now it was time to become the real Draco. Not the Draco his father had taught him to be.

"I'm sorry" Draco said quietly. "I'm still not used to this whole "being nice" thing. I've told you before I wasn't raised like this. I was raised to never show emotions..."

"Yeah we know Malfoy" Ron interrupted him. "Malfoy's are not raised to show their emotions, their true inner self. To anyone. Ever. You said that yourself. Well too bad but you will just have to try and act like a normal person not like a bastard."

"Will you let me finish. I'm going to tell you a little story all right?" Draco asked and looked at them with pleading eyes.

The trio looked at each other and Harry could see his curiosity reflected in Hermione's and Ron's eyes.

"Allright then Draco." Harry said.

"One day, when I was around 7 I was playing in the yard at the Manor. I fell and hurt my hand. Mother wasn't at home so I ran to Father. Even though he had never really comforted my when I hurt myself. He would usually just dry my tears and tell me to stop crying...to be a man. But that day mother wasn't home so I ran to him. When I got there I was crying my eyes out. I showed him my hand and said "Father I hurt my hand". And no I've never ever called him anything but father. Instead of doing what he usually did..." At that Draco stopped and bowed his head like he couldn't go on.

"Yes?" Harry encouraged him on curious on what would come next.

Draco looked up and Harry saw an unknown fire of anger burning in his eyes. These eyes that usually wouldn't show any emotions were now full of them.

"He slapped me!" Draco hissed angry. "He slapped me and I was so surprised that I stopped crying. Then he said...

_Draco was so shocked that his father had slapped him that he stopped crying. He looked up at his fathe_r. _His father stared down at him his eyes cold as he said._

"_Haven't I told you hundreds of times to_ _stop crying? To be a man? Don't you understand? You're going to Hogwarts in four years and you need to learn to stop this disgraceful display of emotions. Showing ones emotions is a weakness. A weakness that your enemies are going to use against you. If you go to Slytherin bearing your emotions on your sleeves like this you are going to be torn to pieces and then thrown out. A disgrace to th name of Malfoy. A Malfoy never shows his emotions You need to learn to wear a mask. To never show your emotions to anyone. Ever! You also need to learn how to find other peoples weaknesses and use it against them. That is the only way you will get respect. Get people afraid of you and you will be respected. You will be powerful. Feared, respected and powerful. I'm going to start teaching you these things. To never show emotions, how to use other people emotions against them. It's time. Hogwarts is only four years away and you will have to have learned these things to perfection by then. Otherwise... what will happen otherwise Draco?"_

_Draco gasped at the question then remembering what his father had told he said._

"_Otherwise I will be torn to pieces and then thrown out. A disgrace to the name of Malfoy."_

"_And what does a Malfoy never do?" _

"_A Malfoy never shows his emotions, to anyone. Ever." Draco said._

"_Really good Draco. Now I will just have to talk to your Mother and get her to stop this unnecessary cuddling that she tends to give you all the time."_

_His father turned around to leave but then turned to Draco again and said. _

"_Consider this your first lesson"_

Draco took a deep breath.

"His lessons didn't get any better after that. It took me almost three years to learn to stop crying. But the summer before Hogwarts I finally managed just that. I wouldn't cry no matter what he said nor did to me. Not even when he hid me with his cane. I graduated from his little school and came here. My father's perfect little clone... an emotionless mask firmly in place, every trick to get respect and power through fear was ready up my sleeve. So I'm sorry if I don't become Mr. Nice guy right away. It's kind of hard forgetting lessons that were beaten into you."

These last words were spit out with a huge amount of sarcasm. Just then the wagon stopped in front of the castle steps. Draco stood up and got out of the wagon. He then turned around and added.

"I am trying, I really am... just...don't expect it to happen all in one day. I'm getting there. Telling you this story was a huge step. I wouldn't even have considered it a month ago."

The Trio was shocked at the revelation as they were walking up the steps and into the Entrance Hall looking at Draco walking a head of them Hermione said.

"He just keeps surprising us doesn't he? One crazy revelation after another. Oh Merlin... I feel sorry for him. Can you imagine me feeling sorry for a Malfoy!"

"Yeah..." Harry said as the moved into the Great Hall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table looking over at the Slytherin table were Draco was sitting all alone, far away from his, now, ex friends.

"The Dursleys might have given me less than normal food and made me do a shitload of work but except for Vernon pushing me around sometimes they never lay a hand on me."

"This was his father doing this to him. His father...he's supposed to love you not beat you up. And doing it so he will learn to hide his emotions. That's just sick." Ron commented looking sick. "These fucking crazy tradition Pureblood bastards."

"OK Ron you do realise you are getting upset over something that happened to Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah I know and...he's still a person and has been showing us over the last weeks that he has a lot more of emotions than we thought. I wouldn't have cared a bit if he would still have been acting like the bastard he was but now...DAMN."

At that moment McGonagall chose to stand up and clear her throat in order to get silence.

"We will talk about this later guys ok? McGonagall is about to speak." Hermione said hurriedly.

"There is really nothing more to speak off is there?" Harry asked. "This happened to him. What's done is done we can't change this."

"No that's right" Hermione agreed.

"All right children settle down." McGonagall said and everyone silent down.

"First of all I would like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts. I hope this school year will bring a lot of new knowledge to all of you."

"There have been some changes to the staff during the summer. I have been chosen to be the new Head Mistress of Hogwarts taking over after the passing of our dearly beloved Head Master Albus Dumbledore."

A polite and respectful clapping could be heard throughout the room. Not as a disrespect to Dumbledore but to welcome McGonagall to her new job.

"Thank you all so much. All though I would rather still have my old job. Yes the assistant head mister from now on will be Filius Flitwick our Charms teacher. Now back from the sick leave is Professor Snape the head of Slytherin and our Potions teacher."

At those words a lot of people could be heard protesting. One yelled "Sick leave my arse." And other very brave individual yelled really loudly and clearly "He killed Dumbledore"

"SILENCE!" McGonagall yelled and people went quiet. "That is a lie and a rumour that some sad people made up to draw Professor's Snape reputation down to the mud. Professor Snape was helping us fight the Death Eaters not the other way around. He got hurt during the fight and had to take a sick leave for the rest of the term." McGonagall looked at the rest of the staff whom nodded their heads in agreement. Harry noticed that Hagrid looked really angry but was holding back.

"_McGonagall has clearly told him about what's going on. And he has to keep quiet. But it still doesn't change the truth and Hagrid has always been all about the truth." _Harry thought.

"And now for the yearly introduction of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm happy to reintroduce Professor Remus Lupin."

Lupin was now noticed for the first time where he had been sitting in the corner clearly as to be not seen. This announcement got a lot of cheers and especially from the 5'th to 7'th years how remembered him from his earlier teachings.

"And I believe it is now time for the long anticipated sorting."

Flitwick started reading up the list. One by one little 11 year olds came walking up to the stage to get the Sorting had put on their heads and get sorted into their respected houses. The list dragged on and as McGonagall came to the M's something unexpected happened.

"Malfoy, Claudia." He read up and a murmur could be heard throughout the Hall.

"I didn't know Malfoy had a sister." Someone could be heard whisper "No one did" Someone else answered

That murmur got louder when Claudia got up on the stage and everyone saw that she wasn't only an unexpected Malfoy that no one knew about but also she didn't look like the Malfoy's at all. With black hair and brown eyes she didn't look related to them at all. But her physique said it all. Here walked a true Malfoy despite not looking like them. When Flitwick put the Sorting hat on the head it was silent for a while. A huge surprise in itself since the Malfoy's were always automatically sorted into Slytherin. That surprise got bigger and the murmurs turned deadly quiet as the hat opened his mouth and yelled. ..

"GRYFFINDOR"

No one applauded for the newest member of Gryffindor, no one welcomed Claudia as she took a seat with her fellow newly sorted Gryffindors.

Harry heard Hermione mutter as she looked closely at Claudia down the table

"Like I suspected."

"What did yo...?" He started to ask but Hermione shushed him. "I'll tell you later she whispered to him."

Harry looked at Ron but he only raised his shoulders in question.

The next name Flitwick read up made the earlier surprise turn into old news in seconds.

"Draco Malfoy." The silence exploded in a mass of questions. Everyone's attention was turned to Draco as he was sitting alone at the Slytherin table. He looked just as surprised as the rest but when McGonagall repeated for Flitwick "Draco Malfoy will you get up here please?" He collected himself and got up walking slowly on the stage. He looked around and saw the attention of the entire school focused on him.

"_Well you wanted attention. Now you get it"_ That bloody voice said meanly.

Draco looked at Flitwick and whispered

"What am I sup...."

"Just sit on the chair lad." Flitwick answered him "You are getting resorted, it's for your one good. Trust us."

Draco sat down on the chair and as the Hat was put on his head and the Hall disappeared from his eyes Draco heard that familiar all knowing voice that had giving him the creeps the first time around by reading his most inner thoughts.

"_My, my, my...You again. Oh...oh don't worry I know what I'm supposed to do. McGonagall made me promise to do this. I thought when she did, how am I supposed to put someone how is 100% Slytherin into another house? But that was then. My, how your view of the world has changed. But that view that you used to believe in is still there somewhere. You don't want to believe in it anymore but brainwashing someone into opinions and believes like your father did to you tends to stick with you doesn't it? But you have changed. You are not as self involved as you were, not as full of yourself. In short words not your father's little clone anymore as you would say it. And you have a sister. That was a little secret that was well hidden the last time. Didn't even detect it. Didn't see that coming. And I don't like surprises. And I just had to sort her into Gryffindor. Not on McGonagall request but because she belonged there. Not a very Malfoy-ish mind she has the little one."_

The Hat went quiet for a bit and Draco could feel as someone was looking for something in his head.

"_Ah yes and now I understand why. A little secret indeed your little sister is. But don't worry that will be our little secret. Now I thing we've kept them waiting long enough. Well then better put you in..."_

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat yelled the last word and everything was turned to total chaos. Half of Gryffindor stood up and started yelling nasty things at both Draco and McGonagall. The Slytherins soon joined in and from them words like "Blood traitor" and "Mud-Blood lover" could be heard. Then just to join in the Rawenclaff's and Huffelpuff's started yelling too. The chaos went on for a bit. Then McGonagall after screaming herself half hoarse used a spell that got everyone to shut up.

"Some of you were screaming that you wanted an explanation for this. But I do not need to explain my actions to you. I will lower the spell and expect you to stay silent. Draco go... have a seat at your table."

The silence lingered as McGonagall took the spell off but the stares, dumbstruck Draco got while going and taking a seat at the Gryffindor table wearing his Slytherin clothes said more than thousand words. The stares didn't turn any nicer when he went and took a seat next to Harry and opposite Ron and Hermione. The feast began but was a lot less cheerier than usual because of the surprise sorting. Draco didn't eat at all. And had to keep dodging the death glares from his "fellow" Gryffindors.

During the end of feast as the students were getting ready to go McGonagall called

"Mr. Malfoy, , Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Will you please come to my office.

The once trio looked at each other and then made their way to the office. They were let in without a password but McGonagall wasn't there straight away as they got in, so they settled in waiting for her.

Draco looked around the office only being there once before thinking:

"_Merlin she hasn't changed a thing."_Then he looked at the wall behind the desk and saw the painting of Dumbledore fast asleep and paled visibly.

"You OK?" Harry whispered.

"Yeah...I'm fine." Draco replied and the McGonagall came in. Immediately the quartet started demanding an explanation on this weird sorting.

"What was that about?" Ron asked

"Why did you resort me? I don't want to be in Gryffindor." Draco said

"The the others are going to beat him up, the name Malfoy is probably the most hated one in Gryffindor tower." Harry said.

"You had a really good reason for this didn't you?" Hermione asked

"Yes I did Miss Granger." McGonagall said. "You might be in danger in Slytherin if you are found out as a traitor. Before we found out, you have been found out, you might be dead or injured. We won't risk it. That's why you have been resorted into Gryffindor so Harry, Ron and Hermione can keep an eye on you."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Despite the plan being solid so far Draco might be found out any second. Then he will be killed no questions asked by his former friends. Voldemort will want him dead right away. That is why you three will not leave him alone when you are outside Gryffindor tower or when you are in Gryffindor tower. Just don't leave him alone. At least one of you has to be with him at all time. Except for the obvious like during showers. But if he needs to go to the bathroom during classes you have to go with him. He might get attacked in the hallway or just at any time. That's why from now on at least one of you has to stay at his side at all times.

"I don't need a babysitter," Draco argued "I can take care of myself."

"I think this is a good idea Professor" Hermione agreed.

"Draco's right he can handle himself" Ron agreed with Draco for the first time. Harry stayed silent.

"You will not be able to defend yourself against three or four people Draco at least when it will be an unexpected attack."

"I will just expect it then" Draco argued on

"Sooner or later you will let your guard down and then they might strike."

Draco opened his mouth to argue more but McGonagall said firmly

"This is my final word in this matter. If I see Draco alone at any time I will draw points from you. You're dismissed."

The quartet went downstairs and started walking towards Gryffindor tower.

Draco finally broke the silence and said "Well I guess we're stuck with each other. Wherever we like it or not. "

TBC

Reviews are love.


	10. All Hallows Eve

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Catium. My usual beta the-4gotten-marauder is lost or something. I don't know  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **3386  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language, and...smut.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

The first month and half in Hogwarts are difficult for Draco and the Golden Trio. Finally things start to look all right and Draco and the Trio are allowed to leave Hogwarts and go to Hogsmade for Halloween. They have a lot of fun and some of them have more fun than others. Don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Read and find out.

**Note: **Half way there. This chapter is the beginning of the second half of the story. Over all there are going to be 19 chapter so there are 9 more to go.

Thanks to everyone who have read and reviewed

There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love - Chapter 10. All Hallows Eve

Draco woke up with a sense of dread for the first day back at Hogwarts in the pit of his stomach. He lay in his new bed for a while listening to the snoring of his roommates a sound he was not used to since he'd had a private room in Slytherin. He finally decided to get up when he heard the others waking up, starting getting dressed and speaking together. When he pulled the curtains from his bed apart the conversations stopped. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas were staring at him like they had forgotten he was there. Neville Longbottom went out of the dorm to the bathroom as quick as he could without it looking like he was running away. Harry was nowhere to been seen and Ron was pulling a sweater over his head. When he had pulled it down he saw Draco looking at him.

"Morning." He said looking really uncomfortable. "The eh...Houseelves came like ten minutes ago and left you a uniform since you don't have one."

"What are you on about Ronald." Draco said surprised. "I do have a uniform it is right here where I put it last night." And with those words Draco lifted up his black school robe with the Slytherin green and silver colures in it showing it to Ron. Then he realised.

"My robe with the _Slytherin_ colures silver and green. Except that I'm not in Slytherin anymore I'm in Gryffindor and that means robes with red and gold in it" He said out loud but to himself and all of sudden realising how very different this school year was going to be Draco's knees gave out and he slammed himself on the bed.

_"Except red and gold are so not my colures. Bloody mother fucking bleeding HELL!"_

"I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to realise that." Ron said and when seeing the desperation on Draco's face he added. "Not long apparently."

Draco heard Seamus and Dean snicker in a mean way behind him and deciding to take his desperation out in an angry way he turned around and gave them the full on Malfoy glare. Seamus and Dean shutted up instantly looking petrified.

"You think this is funny do you? Let's all laugh at Malfoy stuck in Gryffindor and forced to wear a uniform he does not even like. Well let me tell you something if it was not for me you might..."

"Draco!" Harry all of sudden appeared out of the bathroom with his hair half wet after the shower he had clearly been taking.

Draco stopped his anger speech over Seamus and Dean and turned to look at Harry.

"The shower is free if you want to use it before school starts."

Draco snorted and grabbed his bathroom stuff. When walking past Harry, he grabbed at Draco's upper arm and whispered. "Don't let them get to you. If you do they will get even more worked up. I know I'm throwing stones while living in a glass house but I have a lot more temper then you do. So just try and ignore them."

Draco noted his head and Harry let go of his arm. Draco was almost at the bathroom doors when Harry said

"Draco."

Again and when Draco turned around Harry throw his uniform towards him. Draco grabbed it easily.

"Don't forget the uniform." Harry said smiling at him and Draco went to take a shower.

15 minutes later found Harry and Ron standing outside the bathroom door trying to convince a distraught Draco to come out of the bathroom.

"Common Draco. We are missing breakfast and I'm hungry." Ron whined.

"It just can't be that bad Draco. Stop being a drama queen and come out."

"It is this terrible. I might be overreacting a bit but that is just my style! And I'm all ready out, but I'm staying in the bathroom."

"We'll miss breakfast." Was Ron only comment into this discussion.

Harry turned to Ron and said. "Go down to breakfast we don't have to watch him both at the same time."

"O.K. Thanks Harry." Ron said and ran out before Harry could change his mind.

"Is Ronald gone?" Draco asked from behind the bathroom doors.

"Yes he left for breakfast, which we are going to miss if you don't come out." Harry said a little irritated. "The uniform can't be that bad Draco. I won't laugh come on out." He urged Draco. Then all of sudden he had a thought and it was clear to him why Draco was acting this way.

"It's not really the uniform that's bothering you is it Draco?" He asked

"No it is not." Draco confessed.

"You're worried that more people are going to treat you like Seamus and Dean?"

"Yes I am."

"You should be. You used to be such an ass and now when you're trying to stop it you are going to get a lot of shit from a lot of people. But I think if you keep up the good work you've been doing lately communicating with people and being nice...er. Like you have been with me, Ron and Hermione and just ignore the people trying to pick a fight with you it will blow over soon. I've been through similar stuff and it usually blows over pretty soon."

The door to the bathroom opened and Draco peeked his head out.

"You think?" He asked

"I know so." Harry said sending him a reassuring smile. "Common Draco breakfast almost over and I'm hungry it's not a good idea starting the first day at school hungry."

"You are right Harry." Draco said and came out of the bathroom closing the door behind him. Harry looked him over and a thought sprouted up in his head. _"He looks really good_ _in red and gold. Whow! Stop right there! This is Draco I'm talking about. Shut up stupid brain!"_ But before his brain could catch up with his mouth he said

"Red and gold becomes you Draco. Looks good on you."

_"He said I look good. Score for me."_ Draco thought smug.

"Thanks." He said nonchalant. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah let's go." Harry said shocked of himself.

Harry was right the first few days were difficult for Draco and them all. The Golden Trio were not popular amongst the student crowd for all of sudden being the new bestest buddies of the Ice Prince-of-used-to-be-Slytherin-now-Gryffindor and for hanging with him all day long. And Draco had to take a lot of shit from unhappy people he had bullied in the past. Draco however followed Harry's advices and ignored everyone. The Trio stood up for him and were constantly asking people to stop. Draco always told them not to do this and that he deserved this after being such an asshole in the past. "This is a part of my redemption." He said.

"No one deserves this much shit." Harry said and Hermione and Ron agreed.

So it went on for a month.

One day they were sitting in the Great Hall having lunch. Someone walked past them and "accidentally" spilled his pumpkin juice all over Draco. Draco just ignored it and magically cleaned the juice. But at that point both Harry and Ron had had enough and they hissed at the person responsible (Justin Finch-Fletchley) to stop that.

"Why do you have to act like that?" Ron asked. "He hasn't done anything to you lately. So why can't you show the same maturity?"

"Why don't you just leave him alone?" Harry asked sounding more hurt than he intended to.

"Oh I'm sorry Potter. I didn't mean to hurt your feeling by being mean to your b..."

All of sudden Draco stood up and climbed up on the bench calling over the crowd gathered in the Great Hall.

"Excuse me! Can I have your attention please?"

"Everybody stopped eating and talking and looked at him.

"I know I've given many of you..." somebody snorted at that comment so Draco added. "All right then, almost all of you a really hard time over the years. For stupid reasons like that you're a muggleborn or not a decent pureblood, or simply because you annoyed me or bumped into me in the hallway. I've insulted you, talked down to you, publicly humiliated you, teased you in every possible way and even gone as far as using physical violence on some of you. I want you to know that I'm not immune to what I've done to you over the years. I know who you are; well at least I know your faces if nothing else, and I know what I've done to you. I also want you to know that I'm sorry for everything I ever done, to any of you. I offer each and every one of you my most sincere apologies. It's completely up to you if you want to accept my apologies. I understand if many of you won't. Hell I understand if not a single one of you will. But I still want you to know that I'm sorry. I apologise sincerely. Finally I want you to know that I'm not the same person that I used to be, first of all that person would never had apologised for anything, but I've changed. Potter, Granger and Weasley can assure you about that if you want to. Thank you for your time, go back to your lunch. "

Everyone were dumbstruck after the speech and the rest of the lunch passed by quietly. But after lunch one and one person started to walk up on Draco where he was walking in the hallway or sitting in classrooms with, Harry, Ron or Hermione, that person usually talked to the Trio first asking them if it's true that Malfoy said earlier. Then when one or all of the Trio said yes that person would turn to Draco and say something in the lines off "I accept your apologies". That day at least hundred people came to Draco accepting his apologies and the same happened the first few days after his speech.

After that it looked like most people had made peace with Draco. And the Gryffindor Golden quartet settled into a comfy routine and October passed on.

On All Hallows Eve 31 of October there was like always the big Halloween feast. But that Halloween was on Saturday so the 7 years were allowed a trip to Hogsmade (which had been cancelled for everyone else because of the war).

That day Harry, Draco and Ron all woke up really excited. It has snowed quite a lot during the night so they all got dressed in their best and warmest clothes.

Harry put on black jeans and a dark blue knitted sweater. Then he put on a black leather coat which was lined on the inside with animal fur, black earmuffs, black mittens, black scarf and black winter leather boots also lined.

Draco put on light blue jeans and an emerald green Kashmir sweater. Then he put on almost white suede coat, a white cap, mittens and a scarf all white made from rabbit fur and winter boots matching the coat.

While they were putting on their overclothes Draco was secretly checking out Harry. His affection for Harry hadn't lessened over the few months despite having to spend almost every minute of every day in his or his friends company. On the contrary it had increased and was coming to the point where he was frantic. He dreamt about Harry every night and could barely keep his eyes of him during the day and when Harry wasn't around him he was restless and missed him constantly getting irritated and snappy if he didn't see him for few hours.

"_He is not interested in me except like a friend. Why can I not get over him? There are plenty of other interesting, cute guys around and some have been showing my attention after I stopped being a complete ass. Why can't I get a crush in them? I know why."_ Draco answered himself. _"Because they are not Harry bloody Potter. They are not as cute or as interesting or as nice to me. And he is awfully nice which makes it a lot worse because it would be easier not having a "thing" for him if he was mean to me."_

"Draco...Draco you ready?" Harry asked him and interrupted his thoughts.

"Yes. I'm swell. Let's head downstairs, meet up with Hermione and head for Hogsmade." Draco said acting cheery.

They did just that and started their day in Hogsmade by going to the Honeydukes. Then they went into almost every shop there was in Hogsmade. Except Madam Puddifoot's. They even went to Madam Malkins, after Draco nagged them into it. There Draco shopped himself new clothes like crazy, including a new tailored Gryffindor uniform.

"The other does not fit me well enough." He claimed.

"Well I can understand that." Hermione said, looking at the pile of clothes Draco was buying with more and more desperation. "But don't you have enough clothes already?"

"A Malfoy never has enough clothes." Draco replied and bought himself the fifth cloak.

When Draco had paid for the clothes, who everyone in the quartet, except for him thought cost absurd amount of money they left Madam Malkins and headed for the Three Broomsticks.

There almost every student in seven year, were hanging around. They decided to have something to drink. Madam Rosmerta even allowed them to have something a bit stronger than butterbeer. They sat there for couple of hours talking, joking, laughing and having a good time. Draco managed to charm a lot of people whom hadn't been a big fan of his before with his wits and charisma.

Around six everyone were starting to leave for Hogwarts for the Halloween feast. Harry and Draco had just ordered themselves a new drink and were just starting on it when Hermione whom had put on her over clothes asked.

"My and Ron are leaving. You guys coming?"

"You go Hermione." Harry said.

"We are going to finish the drinks first then we will be right on your heels." Draco added smiling and saluting Hermione with his drink.

Hermione and Ron left and so did everybody else.

Draco and Harry were deep in conversation which had been getting more and more common for them lately and while Draco was talking Harry was looking at him and thinking

_ "How amazing, who would have thought that I would be sitting in the Three Broomsticks chatting with Draco Malfoy. We behaving to each other as friends not enemies. He's such an unbelievable person and full of surprises. He can be so nice, and funny, and caring when he wants to but when he doesn't he can also be such a jerk. It's so weird that he has always been able to push my every buttons getting reactions out of me that nobody else could. He even got me to obsess about him last year. And now we're sitting here talking and having drinks just the two of us it's almost like we're..." _

At that moment Draco interrupted Harry's train of thoughts

"Harry, are you all right? You've been staring at me for five minutes like I just grown a second head" He asked smiling.

"Yeah I'm fine Draco, just thinking about things that's all. You finished your drink yet?" He asked Draco

"Yes I have."

"Then we should head back to school. The feast starts in less than half an hour."

Harry finished his drink and the boys left. On the way to Hogwarts Draco was walking a few steps before Harry but they were constantly talking and joking to each other. All of sudden Harry had a wicked idea. He bent down and got himself some snow. Then he made it into a snowball at throw it at Draco.

Draco felt a hit on the back of his head and then snow rained over him. He looked over his back really shocked at Harry whom looked all smug with himself and gave Draco a look that asked _"You gonna let me get away with this?"_

Draco smirked back at Harry, his most Slytherin smirk.

"Well you asked for it Harry." And throw a snowball back at Harry.

They were soon far gone into a snow fight. Trying their very best to trip each other and put snow inside each other clothes. Then Harry managed to trip Draco. Draco took Harry down with him. Draco fell onto the snow covered ground with Harry on top of him. They were both breathing heavily from the running and mock fighting, and were both smiling.

They looked into each other eyes smiling. Draco looked into Harry's eyes and became serious. Harry looked back and noticed Draco's serious expression

"What?" he said smiling.

Then Draco lifted up his arms.

He put his arms behind Harry´s head.

He pulled Harry down and at the same time he raised his head.

Then their lips touched in the sweetest, almost innocent kiss.

At first Draco felt no respond. Then he felt pressure against his lips and realised that Harry was kissing him back.

Harry moved his arms behind Draco's head to press him closer. Then he nibbled at Draco's lower lip.

Draco knew what he was asking about and opened his mouth.

Harry tongue snaked it's way into Draco's mouth were Draco's tongue welcomed it.

They kissed like that for a while and their kiss was becoming more and more heated by the second.

"_If think I have died and gone to Heaven." _Draco thought and at the same time moaned into the kiss.

Then all of sudden it looked like Harry was snapped out of some trance. He broke the kiss and scrambled away from Draco, staring at him wide eyed, shaking his head, repeating

"No, no, no..." Over and over again.

"Harry it's o..." Draco started

"NO!" Harry screamed and finally managed to get himself out of the snow then running away.

Draco stayed in the snow for awhile and thought "_Oh man now I've completely blown this, he's never going to talk to me again." _Then he got up and walked slowly towards the castle.

The next few weeks after Halloween went by in an awkward way. Harry was ignoring Draco getting Ron and Hermione to stay with him as much as possible. Draco kept trying to get him to talk to him which always ended up in Harry running away. After one of those incidence Hermione and Ron asked Draco.

"What happened?" Ron asked

"You guys were getting on so well. Did something happen?" Hermione asked

Draco's only respond was

"We had a fight"

TBC

I'm not too proud to beg for reviews. I miss reviews. They make my feel all warm inside and giddy.


	11. Dreams Can Come True Well Almost

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **1550 words  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language, and more smut yeah...  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Draco finally manages to confront Harry after their kiss on Halloween. Getting a rather unpleasant respond.

**Note:** Thanks to everyone who have read or/and reviewed. Like always super special thanks to thrnbrooke. I was really pleased to see reviews from other people too after last chapter. Clearly I did something right in chapter 10 and hopefully I will keep on doing it in this chapter.

There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love - Chapter 11. Dreams Can Come True...Well Almost

Harry spent the next weeks ignoring Draco.

Draco tried to use every opportunity he got to talk to Harry.

Hermione and Ron kept asking both Draco and Harry if everything was all right between them and they would both reply "We're fine."

This carried on for whole November. At the end of November Harry and Draco were in class together. During the middle of the class Harry asked if he could use the bathroom. He was allowed to and left for the bathroom.

Draco saw his opportunity. He asked for a permission to go to the bathroom and was allowed to. He got up and out of the classroom and followed Harry quickly. When he got into the bathroom Harry was there but was about to leave.

When Harry saw Draco he snorted at the sight of him and left right away almost running to the hallway. Draco amazed at the stubbornness of one man followed asking him to wait.

"Harry wait. Please Harry. Can't we talk about this? You can't ignore me forever you know?"

Harry just kept on walking ignoring him. Draco ran catching up with him putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Harry please wai..."

Harry at Draco's contact turned around and grabbed Draco by the wrist and pushed him roughly up against the wall and pinned him down. Harry looked furious and emotionally upset.

Harry thoughts were running wild. Thinking of the last few months. How he had started to like things about Draco. Stupid things like how Draco looked like while he was thinking about if he should smile right before his face would light up in an amazing smile. How he, Harry started liking hanging around him all the time and even during the last few weeks while ignoring him, still noticing everything about him. Every stupid little detail. Even though his inner voice was trying to tell him...

"I hate you" Harry hissed at Draco "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. You made me and my friends' lives a living hell for years. You're smug, arrogant, snobbish, selfish, prejudice prick and I hate you!"

Draco looked into Harry's eyes and realised that Harry was trying more to convince himself than he was trying to tell him something. So Draco replied calmly.

"If you hate me so much Harry. Then why did you kiss me back?"

To that Harry had no answer. Draco could see his eyes looking around for some kind of answer. Then Harry let go of Draco and started walking away. At that moment Draco realised something.

_"Oh Merlin...this is my dream. Only I can't tell him the whole truth he would kill me. I am going to have to lie to him a bit. I promised I wouldn't do that but I have to do something. Maybe he will never say another word to me again. It's now or never."_

"HarryI like you."

The words seemed to echo throughout the empty hallway.

Harry stopped walking like he had been shot, turned around and Draco saw tears in his eyes. Then Harry said:

"I...I can't Draco...I just can't...I can't be this on top of everything else. I'm the Boy Who Lived...The Saviour of the Wizarding World...The Youngest Seeker in a Century...The Fourth Triwizard Champion...and it's enough!!! I just can't be a..." Harry stopped talking like he couldn't get himself to say the words.

"A... what Harry?" Draco asked "A poof, ponce, poofter, queer, homosexual, bent, shirtlifter, pillowbiter, fairy, faggot, gay? A... what Harry???" Draco asked him a bit angry at Harry for not being angry at him anymore.

"All of it I just... can't." Harry said and sounded so broken that what little anger Draco had been building up vanished into thin air. Harry's eyes started filling with tears and before Draco could control himself he was hugging Harry and Harry was crying softly on his shoulder.

"They will hate me and are not gonna want to be my family anymore" he sobbed into Draco's shoulder.

"Who cares what they think. The Dursley's have always treated you like crap anyway."

"I'm not talking about the Dursley's I'm talking about Hermione and Ron and Ron's family."

"Harry listen to me." Draco said and took Harry's face into his hands and forced Harry to look up and into his eyes."You listening?" Harry noded his head. "They love you, unconditionally. The Weasley's got their house burned down because they know you and they didn't think twice about it. They didn't say _it's Harry's fault_. They simply mourned it for a while and started building a new one never blaming you. Ron and Hermione have stood by you through, well, almost anything. One or two times they've got angry at you and left for a while, but they came back. Not even the unbelievable stuff that happens around you can keep them away. That's how much they love you. And I... I like you." At those words Harry pulled his head away and started at him so intensively that Draco leaned in and whispered in his ear. "And not in a friendly way, just so you know and won't try to play dumb. It wouldn't matter if you told them you wanted to fuck Snape. Merlin save us from all evil, they would still stand by you. I would probably go crazy and kill Snape but still. It won't matter what you say or what you do. They are sticking by your side. I'm sticking by your side and I'm waiting for you. For as long as it will take for you to come to your senses. So why don't you think things for a while. Think about what _you _want, what would make _you_ happy and for once do something for _your_ best interest. Don't thing about anyone else. Fuck the public, fuck the Ministry, fuck the press and even fuck McGonagall and the Order if they won't like it. They can maybe tell you that you are supposed to defeat Voldemort for them and all that bullshit. But they can't tell you to like girls over boys or vice versa. That's your decision. So just think about it. Promise me?"

Harry thought to himself

_"Draco is right and clearly a mind reader too. How could he know those were the things I was worrying about? I should think about me for once but not about everyone else. And like he said the Weasley's or Hermione would never hate me for being...different...they love me like I'm one of their family. And fuck the rest, if they don't like my decisions, then though luck. Fuck them."_

"I'm going to think about this Draco. You're right. I shouldn't care about the public and the people how really love me are going to stick by me no matter what."

"So when do you think you will know? I mean really know, know for sure 100% know?" Draco asked thinking how desperate he sounded.

Harry bit his lower lip "I'm not sure." And upon seeing the look in Draco's eyes that said everything Draco himself was afraid of saying up loud Harry gathered his known Gryffindor courage and took a hold of Draco pinned him against the wall for the second time that day and kissed him.

_"Oh Merlin he tastes even better than I remembered, like vanilla and his lips are so soft." _Harry thought

_"He has an extraordinary talented tongue and he tastes like chocolate, his lips are a bit rough but not unpleasantly"_ Draco thought and as he moaned into the kiss Harry broke the kiss.

Draco gave Harry a really disappointed look when he backed out of their embrace and started walking backwards down the hall towards Gryffindor tower, staring at Draco.

"Like I said" Harry said sounding a bit out of breath. "I'm not sure when I'll know but when I do. You will be the first to know." Then he added in a casual tone. "You coming Draco? I can't leave you alone here and we've missed the rest of the class, it's time for lunch."

"Yeah I'm coming." Draco answered and as he walked after Harry he thought.

_"So dreams can come true...well almost._

TBC

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	12. Secrets and Lies

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **4800 words  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. And a huge surprise. People with heart diseases are advised to avoid reading.  
**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

The Malfoy family secret is finally revealed and explains why Claudia is so different from the rest of her family. During that Harry learns about the real reason behind Snape's and his father's rivalry.

Chapter 12 – Secrets and lies

The next week passed by quietly but it was never too quiet for too long around the quartet. One day they were sitting in the library studying. It was Saturday. Claudia all of sudden came running in to the library straight towards the quartet she was obviously upset and had tears in her eyes.

"Claudia what is going...?" Draco started saying but wasn't able to finish the sentence because Claudia flunked herself in his arms and started crying.

"Tell me it isn't true...tell me it isn't true Draco...tell me so...please?" Claudia said and looked up with tears floating down her checks.

Draco wiped Claudia's tears away and looked at her with such love that it almost took Harry's breath away.

"_I would not mind Draco looking at me that way." _Harry thought then stopped himself "_Wow I'm trying to figure out if I might be...different...I'm not looking for...that."_ He thought and then turned his attention to what Draco and Claudia were saying.

"What is not true Claudia? I do not know what you are talking about?"

"Some of the Slytherins in my year were saying that...they say everyone's talking about it. They heard it from some of your old friends..."

"Heard what Claudia?"

"That I'm not related to you. That I must be adopted or something. That if I were a true Malfoy I would have been sorted into Slytherin not Gryffindor since all Malfoys have always been sorted into Slytherin." Claudia sobbed and said again. "Tell me it's not true Draco."

Draco opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and looked really uncomfortable. Harry could see the unease in his eyes. Draco stood up, lifting his sister away from his embrace, holding her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. Then he said.

"Come on Claudia we are going to go see mother." And took Claudia's hand and started walking out of the library. He stopped like he had just realised something, turned around to face the Trio and said:

"Well come on. You are my baby sitters you cannot let me go wander off by myself."

The trio stood up and followed them out of the library. Then Ron said a bit sarcastically.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble Draco but we can't leave the grounds."

"Who is saying that we are leaving the grounds?" Draco asked.

Hermione answered Draco's question. "You said we were going to go and see your mother Draco. You kind of have to leave the grounds in order to do so."

"No we do not." Draco said and looked real smug all of sudden. "She is here."

"What?" The Trio said all at once.

"McGonagall decided it would not be safe for her to be staying alone at the Manor or the Headquarters. If they were attacked no one would be able to come to her rescue until it was too late. So she gave her quarters here at the school. I have not visited her yet since McGonagall wanted it to be a secret she is here. And bringing one or all three of you with me would have made it not a secret. But now we really need to see her."

Draco turned another corner still leading the small group of five on and stopped facing a life size painting that showed a really pretty blond woman dressed in a 17'Th century purple dress sitting in a chair.

"Hello" Draco said. "I'm Draco Malfoy could you tell my mother we are here to see her."

The women bowed her head and stood up and walked out of the side of the frame. Not a minute later she reappeared and the painting was opened, revealing a door. There stood Narcissa Malfoy. Upon seeing her two children she smiled and beckoned them to come in. They entered and Narcissa closed the door she turned around still smiling and hugged Claudia. Then she turned to Draco and said.

"It is nice to see you. What makes you finally deciding to see me children?"

"Sorry about us not coming to visit you sooner mother." Draco said rather stiffly and once again Harry wondered about the stiff relationship between the two off them. "We were supposed to keep it a secret you staying here, and I can't really go anywhere these days without having a babysitter or three." At these words Narcissa looked like she noticed Harry and the others for the first time her smile fading away.

"Oh...I see...Mr. Potter...Miss Granger...." She gave them looks over that made Harry feel like he was being measured but he could not tell if he was being found unwanted. After looking at them for a minute, Narcissa looked like she had made up her mind about something and said.

"My, I am such a rude hostess. Come and have a seat I will get one of the house elves too bring us some tee and biscuits."

She snapped her fingers and a house elf wearing the traditional towel with the Hogwarts crest appeared. Harry saw Hermione purse her lips trying to hold herself back. After doing that Narcissa joined them at the sitting area, sitting next to Claudia. She looked again at the Trio for a bit then said with a little smile tugging at her lips.

"I must say Draco that the company that you are keeping now a day are much more to my liking then the one you kept in the past."

"Thank you mother. I really rather agree with you on that." Draco said and then added. "I am sorry but we really did not come here to get your approval off my new company. Claudia ran into some troubles some moments ago. There were Slytherin kids teasing her."

Narcissa turned her attention immediately to Claudia. "Oh honey, I hope they did not give you a hard time..."

"They were saying that Claudia is not related to us." Draco said quickly.

Harry had been expecting Narcissa to laugh it off saying something in the lines off. "_That is ridiculous"._ But instead she went even paler then she usually was and gave a little yelp. "How..." she stammered.

"She does not look a thing like us mother." Draco snapped sounding angry. "Who did we think we could fool? We should have gotten her homeschooled like father..."

"Do not dare..." Narcissa snapped back sounding even angrier than Draco "Don't you dare start talking about your father will now. This would never have happened if he would have just stayed home and..."

"We were right." These words fell out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop herself and she grabbed her mouth shocked at herself for not having more self control.

Narcissa turned to her and asked a bit more calm down now because of the interruption "Right about what Miss Granger?"

"What is going on?" Claudia cried out. "I don't understand."

"I can't not in front of her you tell us." Hermione said

"It does not matter anymore. Lucius is in jail so will not find out about the secret being out anyway. It was his will to keep this a secret not mine." Then she turned to Claudia and said. "It is time you know the truth darling."

"Mother what are you talking about?" Claudia cried and tears were running freely down her face.

"You are not a Malfoy, Claudia." Narcissa answered Claudia faster than was to be expected and the truth hanged in the air like a thick smothering blanket.

"What...?" Claudia stammered.

"But you are a Black. And you are related to both me and Draco. But Lucius is not your father."

Upon hearing that Harry's mouth fell open and he saw the same thing happening to both Ron and Hermione.

"All right we were wrong." Hermione said in a shocked voice.

"What did you, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley think?" Narcissa asked.

Claudia was still too shocked to say anything.

"We thought..." Hermione said "We thought Lucius had been cheating on you and gotten his mistress pregnant and then that he had taken the child to raise it himself."

"You were half way right Miss Granger." Narcissa said bitterly. "Lucius did cheat on me. More than once, more than twice and kept on doing so regularly up until the point he was sentenced to Azkaban. But it was me that went on and had one affair. Only one. Only for one summer and was stupid enough to get myself pregnant." Narcissa stopped and looked at Claudia. "I want you to hear this Claudia. Let me finish and do not judge me until you have heard the whole story all right sweetheart?"

Claudia still too stunned to say anything simply noded her head.

"It was the summer Draco turned six. That summer Lucius was working for the Ministry and didn't have time to take a summer holiday. It was too much trouble going on my own with Draco this little, so for the first time since I was a teenager I stayed home during the whole summer. All of my friends were away for the summer with their husbands and children. I was...well quite frankly I was bored out of my mind. Draco has always been really self sufficient. He was out playing in the yards most days. I barely saw him."

Narcissa paused and no one said anything they were waiting for her to go on with the story

"Anyway... sometimes during May our gardener, a really nice elderly wizard, was bitten by one of the more dangerous plants, he had to go to St. Mungo's for the rest of the summer. The Ministry found out that, that plant was illegal and came and investigated our gardens. They took out all the dangerous magic plants that were there and put the ones they left behind in a special closed off garden surrounded by a hatch. They claimed that we lived too close to a Muggle village to allow us to have the magic plants all around the yards. So they closed them off. Told me that we were not to hire another wizard for a gardener. That I could take care of the magic plants myself. Told us to hire a Muggle to take care of the gardens. Lucius was furious of course but he had a reputation to look after. Back then after the first war he was really well respected, some people spoke of his supposed relationship with the Dark Lord but those voices were few back then. And now people were speaking off him having dangerous and mostly illegal magic plants in his gardens. He wouldn't have that so he did exactly what the Ministry told him. Paid some of the officials to shut it about the illegal plants and advertised for a Muggle gardener in the Times. After two weeks or so he had found the perfect Muggle in his opinion. Or as perfect as a Muggle could be he would say with mockery in his voice.

"That is my father." Draco interrupted his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nice is his middle name."

"Don't interrupt me Draco." Narcissa said. "Please."

Draco glared at his mother with a look that made Harry chill to the bone "I will try mother but I'm not making any promises."

Narcissa sighed but kept on going.

"He came at eight his first day. I woke up earlier than I was used to during the summer to meet him and talk him through his duties. Since he was a muggle and couldn't know about us I put on one of my rarely used muggle dresses. I walked into the hall and there he stood. He was..." Narcissa sighed wearing a dreamy expression. "Almost black, wavy hair, chocolate brown skin, and dark brown eyes, and really good looking, tall, lean and muscular and a few years younger than me. He was 25, me 31."

"All in all any women's wet dream." Draco said and Harry noticed he had somehow managed to get himself a drink of what looked like Fire Whiskey.

"Draco please!" Narcissa said. "We got along really well right away. The first days and weeks went by like a dream. My showing him what to do and he was a quick learner. Then later, helping him out in the gardens. I have always loved gardening. We would talk about everything and nothing, laughing a lot and I don't think we ever stopped smiling. We became really good friends."

Draco snorted.

"We were friends, at first. Then one day after he had been working for us for about a month, we were talking and joking like usual. Then one thing led to another and...well. For the rest of the summer we kept going with our relationship. Then autumn came and I started to feel sick. I used a pregnancy spell on me, it was positive and I realised Lucius would kill him. So I told him to quit and leave, preferably the country if he could. I also asked him to never contact me again, that is if I didn't contact him first. He did and I've never seen or heard from him again. Around two weeks later when I knew he would be safely far, far away. I told Lucius everything. Furious did not even come close to Lucius reactions. I just thanked my lucky stars I was pregnant. Despite that, he told me he would claim the baby. Always thinking of his reputation. Claudia was born in March and when Lucius saw her, a girl, didn't look a thing like him, or me even. Let's just say he was less than pleased and I was not pregnant anymore. Afterwards he decided that we would not take Claudia off the grounds more than necessary and that she would not be around when we had our friends around the Manor. He made up a story she had a disease so our friends would not ask questions I did not have answers for. Then we kept her away from other people. And that is the story the whole truth, nothing but the truth so help me Merlin."

Narcissa had been looking at her hands during the last few lines and now she looked up and looked them in their eyes.

"So this is why I could never see other kids? Why no one came to my birthday parties? Why I had to play alone or with Draco when he was at home?" Claudia said sounding really upset.

"Darling...your father...I could not do any..."

"You never could. Could you?" Draco interrupted his mother. "You never could stand up to him. The summer after Claudia was born and he told you to stop cuddling me you did. When you saw I had a bruise on my cheek or arm you ignored it. When he would not allow anyone to be invited to Claudia's birthday party you did nothing. YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING!"

"Well what was I supposed to do Draco? If I tried to protest he would beat me up."

"BETTER YOU THAN YOUR CHILDREN!" Draco yelled.

"I agree with him" Claudia added "How could you let him treat you...treat us like this?"

"I...I...could not." Narcissa stammered.

At that moment the painting swung open and in stalked Snape.

"Narcissa I just came back from a meeting and thanks to your help, the mission group found one of the Horcruxes in one off Lucius's vaults. The Hufflepuff cup. It's been destroyed, so it's down to something of Ravenclaw's, the snake and final goal Voldemort." Then Snape saw Narcisssa had company and stopped in his tracks staring at the strange combination. Narcissa, Draco and Claudia Malfoy and the Golden Trio together in the same room.

"How come you know about that?" Harry asked Snape. "You..." Harry spit out. "...were not supposed to know about that McGonagall promised me."

"Oh I'm sorry... she promised you Potter did she? They were painting themselves into a corner and needed help. McGonagall had to make a decision and recruit someone to help. She can't call you every time she needs to make a decision about everything. Not all things are about you Potter, but it's only natural you would think so, being your father's son." Snape said sneering

"Don't you dare talk about my father."

"Why are you afraid you might hear something you won't like?" Snape said and since there was no one there to stop him he went on.

"I'm sorry Potter but I'm going to burst the perfect image you have of your father. You always thought I was the one who started taunting him, because I was jealous of his and your mother's relationship right?"

"Right." Harry said. "And don't try and tell my something different because I know it's the truth."

"Why because Black told you so?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever tried to ask someone else about my and your father's rivalries besides the man who hated me possibly even more than your father?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to tell you now. What you were told was wrong. Black didn't have a clue. I was your mother's friend before we even knew James Potter existed. Before Hogwarts. We met on a playground near her house. I only lived couple of blocks away. One day we met on the playground. We became friends almost right away. I sensed she was a witch so when so got a letter from Hogwart's I was not surprised. We rode on the train to Hogwarts together but got sorted into separated houses. She Gryffindor, me Slytherin. But we still remained friends. Then Potter started noticing her. Lily didn't like him at first, he was cocky, full of himself and way to wild so when he at first asked her to become friends, later if she would go out with him...Lily said no. She and I would still hang around and James noticed. He got jealous and starting taunting me for having a friendship with Lily, which he did not have. He put hexes on my and bullied me in any way imaginable trying to diminish me in front of her. It didn't work. Or it didn't work our first years anyway. Then during our fifth year I started noticing that Lily was getting less irritated by James constant attempts to get her to go out with him, she would still scream at him though when he was hurting me. At the same time I was confronted by a group of older students in Slytherin who asked if I would like to join their group and learn a thing or two so I could finally fight James Potter. I did not hesitate a moment before joining. They also started to teach my other things except hexes. Things about Purebloods, and Mudbloods. I still kept on hanging around Lily. Sometime I would say something about Purebloods or Mudbloods and she wouldn't like it. She started to withdraw herself from me a bit. After the incident that you saw Potter in the Pensieve, Lily came to me and told me she didn't think we could be friends anymore. During our six year Lily and James started dating and we didn't hang around anymore. One day James put a hex on me and Lily watched and she didn't try to protect my, she laughed with the other. It was then I knew our friendship was over and decided to take my Slytherin friends up on their offer. They had told me that if I decided one day to stop hanging around, I'm sorry Harry, Mudbloods like Lily Evans they could get me into a group outside of the school called the Death Eaters. I contacted the leader of my former group, Lucius Malfoy. He contacted Voldemort. I did what was required so I could join the Death Eaters and got my mark. Then after He killed Lily I was devastated. I went to Dumbledore and joined the Order, became a spy. And the rest you pretty much know.

"Why did you care?" Harry asked. "Why did you care that Voldemort killed my mother."

"Don't you understand Harry?" Snape asked

Harry just stared at him blanked eyed.

"I loved your mother Harry. But she never saw anything more than a friend in me. James was jealous of me because of our friendship and haunted me over it. I tried to become a hard ass to protect me from him but got tangled up in the wrong crowd. Which pushed your mother from me and right into Potter's arms. I in jealous rage did the wrong thing and got her, them killed. I was devastated like I already told you and I grieved for them. I might have hated your father but I did not want him dead, neither your mother. So I tried to make up for it by joining the Order." Snape explained in a short cut

"You are lying" Harry said.

"No he's not Harry." Narcissa all of sudden interrupted. "The Black's and the Prince's, Severuse's mother family are old friends. I've know Severus since he was born. I watched these events he's been talking about unfold right in front of my eyes. Severus is telling the truth. If you want I will swear that under the Veritaserum potion."

At Narcissa's words Harry gave up on all protesting and it was like a little light had been turned on in his head. He had never heard an untrue word out of Narcissa Malfoy's mouth. She had less than 20 minutes ago confessed to an affair and told her daughter that the man she thought was her father wasn't, but some Muggle gardener.

"You don't have to do that Mrs. Malfoy." He said tiredly. "I...I believe you Snape. And now I understand why you've treated me the way you've had over the years. It must have been tough on you seeing the living image of the man you hated walking around and with the eyes of the women you... loved. I'm willing to forgive you. If you will do me the same favour it would be great. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you over the years. I've never exactly given you an easy time. Acting up in class and diminish you authority. And if you could see it in you to do the same thing, it would be nice if we could bury the axe. Both ours, and yours and my father's. Make a truce.

"I would like that Potter." Snape said and for the first time Harry saw a small smile on Snape's lips. "I accept your apologies and hope you will accept my apologise for treating you so badly just because I assumed you were like your father."

"Apology accepted likewise Snape." Harry said smiling a bit.

"Well as nice as this all have been." Ron piped up out of the blue after sitting quietly for a really long time. "You know what I'm talking about. People confessing old sins and other people making peace with each other and just generally going to the happy place filled with bunnies and rainbows...I'm really sorry to break this up but it's nearly time for dinner and I am starving."

"I think Mr. Weasley is right. If we don't have anything more to talk about you should all go and have dinner."

"I think me and Potter are as good as we will get." Snape said.

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

"I would like though if you and your sister came again after dinner Draco. So we could continue with our discussion."

"There is nothing to discuss mother. What is done is done; talking about things in the past will not change them. Besides I think both me and Claudia need time to think about what you've been saying today. We will come and visit you when we've done doing that." Draco said.

"All right then Draco." Narcissa said. She then tried to hug Claudia goodbye but Claudia avoided that and simply said "Goodbye mother." Before leaving Narcissa's quarters.

"We will talk later Cissa." Snape said before exiting in his usual billowing of ropes.

"Goodbye mother." Draco said.

"Bye Mrs. Malfoy." Harry, Ron and Hermione echoed before hurrying after Draco.

"Goodbye children." Narcissa said.

Then they were outside the door Claudia was there waiting for them.

Draco not in the mood for more talk tonight simply said.

"Can we talk about this later Claudia? I understand you are feeling really hurt right now, but I think it would only do you good to think about this on your on for now."

"O.K. Draco." Claudia said in a small voice. "But I want you to know that I still love you like a brother."

Draco stared at her for a moment and then hugged her tightly. "I am your brother. Nothing will ever change that. Blood bonds are not everything. You might think so now but it is so. Now I do not want to talk more about this tonight Claudia. Run along for dinner.

Claudia did so and Draco turned towards the Trio who had watched the exchange.

"I and she will finish this discussion tomorrow. I just want this over with. Then we will talk to mother tomorrow too. What a day...and not only for me."

"Yeah." Ron agreed. "You made peace with Snape, Harry. That's huge."

"It is" Harry agreed. "We may never become bestest buddies but not at least we should be able to be in the same room together without biting each other heads off."

They all started walking towards the Great Hall.

"But why do you think, Harry?" Hermione asked. "That Sirius never told you the truth about the rivalry between Snape and your father.

"That's easy. He didn't want my "memories" off my father and mother to be soiled by this. Didn't want me to know that they weren't always together and that my father possessed in such a great deal one of the most loathsome emotions. Jealousy. Or that my mother turned her back on her childhood friend. But it does not make me think any less of them. It only makes them more human too me. Less saint like and more like they really used to walk on this earth for real."

"Also I don't think Black would ever have told you anything that would make uncle Snape look a tad bit nice." Draco added

"That is true." Harry agreed. "And uncle Snape?!"

"He is my godfather." Draco explained and then slowed down a bit so he and Harry got pulled behind from Hermione and Ron who were hurrying to get to dinner.

"Are you guys coming?" Hermione asked.

"Yes we will be right there. I just need to talk to Harry privately for a minute." Draco said smiling and waved them off.

As soon as they disappeared around the corner. He turned to Harry and asked.

"Have you thought about things Harry?"

Harry was so thrown by the question he started to stutter.

"I...I don't...it's only been a week Draco."

"That is true. I'm sorry Harry if I caught you off guard. Like you have not gotten enough stuff to think about today."

"It really isn't anything to think about. With this stuff between me and Snape sorted it is one thing less to think about. And the other think isn't really my problem. Although I'm so sorry for you to have to go through all this. You father treating you like this, your mother allowing him."

"It is done. I really don't want to talk about it." Draco said shortly.

"All right then sorry."

"It's not you that has to apologise to me." Draco said. "But what is that Horcrux thing Snape was talking about?" He asked.

"Another thing I won't have to worry about anymore." Harry answered him.

"You do not wish to tell me?" Draco asked sounding a bit hurt.

"I'm sorry Draco. I'm still trying to process my feelings to you and one of those feelings is trust. I don't trust you enough yet to tell you." Harry said really sounding sorry.

Those words hurt Draco more than anything his mother had said that day and Harry saw him putting up his emotionless mask.

_ "Draco please...don't shut me out." _He thought.

"I've worked my arse off Harry, trying to get you to trust me...to like me the same way I like you. I really do not want to rush you but if you do not hurry up and decide if you really can trust me...if you really want me in your life...then I might not want to be a part of your life when you finally do decide."

Draco turned around and walked away.

The little voice inside Harry's head used that opportunity to wake up sounding a bit like Snape.

_"You better hurry up and make a decision Potter. Or you might lose him. And you don't want that do you?"_

Harry answered the voice up loud confessing his desire partly.

"No...I don't."

TBC

A nice review would really make my day and the button to become my hero is just right there * Points at the review button*


	13. Who Am I?

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(Eventually) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **4.298  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. Smut. Sexual activity.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Harry is figuring out how he is and has a little talk with his closest thing to a father figure Remus Lupin. Remus tells him exactly how deep his and Sirius relationship ran. Meanwhile Draco is getting tired of waiting and goes to Blaise for a bit of comfort and tells him a little too much. Harry finds out.

Chapter 13 – Who Am I?

So Harry started thinking. He thought on Monday... he thought on Tuesday... he thought on Wednesday...Thursday...Friday...Saturday...and during the nights...and when he eat...went to classes...walked along the halls...Harry thought. On Saturday night he's thought so much about who he was and if he could be...different and like Draco. That he had gotten himself a headache.

_"If only I could talk to someone...this would so be something that other kids would talk to their parents about...if I've ever really wished for a mom or da..."_

"I'm so stupid!" Harry said up loud to himself when he realised he didn't have a dad...but he had someone who had told him after Sirius's death that if he ever needed a confidential he would be there for him.

"I've know that for years Harry. Now shut up I need my beauty sleep. It costs effort being this good looking you know?" Draco said through the darkness.

"You are without a doubt the only person that thinks that Draco." Seamus Finnegan added.

"Can everybody shut up if I don't go to sleep now you all will have to carry me around tomorrow." Ron said.

The room quieted down and Harry found his train of thought again.

_"I have someone I can talk to only I've never used it before. I will talk to him tomorrow." _Were Harry's last thoughts before he drifted to sleep.

Sunday morning found Harry standing outside a classroom door. He knocked and a voice said

"Enter."

Harry opened the door and looked at Remus Lupin sitting at his desk rating papers.

"Harry!" He said a smile bursting out on his face. "What can I do for you today? Come on in. Is this a student finding a teacher or well...you finding me?"

"Thanks for the invitation Remus." Harry said came in and closed the door. "It's me finding you. You said once that you would be there for me if I ever needed to talk, but that was right after Sirus's...death...so maybe."

"No, no...not at all Harry. I meant what I said after Sirius's..." Remus stopped and Harry realised that Remus was still not nearly over Sirius's death, a lot less than himself was. "So what do you want to talk to me about Harry?"

"I...eh..." Harry stuttered. "Is there a possibility that we could go somewhere a little more private to talk about this...I'm...this is kinda private."

"Oh yes Harry of course. How stupid of me I should have asked you to come to my private quarters, right away after you told me you wanted to talk to me non-professor/student way. I'm sorry."

"It's O.K. Remus. I've never asked you for a talk before so there is no wonder you didn't."

Remus stood up and pointed Harry to follow him. He walked to the back of the classroom and took out his wand and did a little movement over the brick. A part of the brick slithered aside and revealed a door. Remus went in and Harry followed. After walking through a short passage they came into Remus's private quarters. They were really comfortable looking but not large. A fire roaring in the fireplace, bookshelves covered half the walls, stuffed with book and two big comfortable armchairs and a wooden coffee table took up almost all the space in the living room. There were three doors out of the room, the one that let them back out, one leading to the bathroom and the other to Remus's bedroom.

"Have a seat Harry would you like a cup of tea and some crackers?" Remus asked.

"No thank you I...I don't think I can eat or drink anything right now." Harry said in a low almost broken voice.

Remus heard him and he realised this was not going to be an ordinary talk.

"Harry by Merlin, what's wrong? Has anything happened? Has Voldemor...?"

"No it's not about him." Harry said.

"Did you have a fight with Ron or Hermione?"

"No we are as close as always."

"Did Sna..."

"NO! REMUS I THINK I'M GAY!" Harry screamed in order to get Remus to shut his 1001 question contest.

It worked. Remus shut it up and looked at him surprisingly.

"And I think I might like Draco" Harry added his voice more broken than Remus had ever heard it before even after Sirius's death.

"Oh my Harry I..." was all Remus managed to say before Harry continued.

"I can't Remus...I...I can't do this. I can't be gay on top of everything else. The boy who lived...saviour of the Wizarding world...even the youngest seeker in a century and the fourth Tri-Wizard champion. The media and the public think they owe me because I'm supposed to save their arses. They will eat my up if they find out I might be...gay. They will hate me...thinking I'm too busy doing gay stuff to save their arses. And Ron and Hermione and the Weasley's...you... my family...I just know they will hate me. Especially because I might be liking Draco. And how can I be so stupid to maybe like Draco? He's a Malfoy, they're always been considered evil...everyone will have a fit. We are supposed to be arch nemesis not kissing the hell out of each other in the hallways..." Realising what he had said at the end Harry grabbed his mouth his eyes widening in horror.

"Harry..." Remus said and to Harry's massive surprise he started laughing.

"This is not funny, Remus. How can you do this? You told me I could talk to you about everything."

"And you can Harry...you can." Remus said and stopped laughing becoming serious. "The media Harry? The public? Hermione? Ron? The Weasleys? Me? You are thinking too much about what other think. The media and the public will make a deal out of this if you decide you're gay that is true. But since when have you given a Merlin damn thing about what they think? Never. And when the next big thing comes along. Some Quidditch star cheating on his wife they will forget all about. People will make a big deal out of whomever you decide to have a relationship with. That person being Draco Malfoy or Susan Bones. Putting that person under the microscope finding all the dirt on it. It doesn't matter. But what does matter is if that person is strong enough to handle those media's attention without leaving you. Then that person must like you a lot. And your family...me? I can't talk for Hermione and the Weasley's but I will not turn my back on you. If I did so that would be pretty hypocritical of me because...well because I'm gay Harry.

"Remus I..." Harry started saying then Remus's words sank in. "You what?"

"I'm gay Harry. And like you already know I'm a werewolf too. Can you imagine what I had to go through when I realised. I'm not trying to diminish your problem, but it's nothing compared to how I felt. It was hard enough being a werewolf, which automatically put you outside the normal society. But gay? In the 1970's? It was impossible. Which was the reason why my and my boyfriend never came out. Not separately or as a couple. He knew we would be given hell. Especially me. So he never came out either. We were going to tell your parents and Peter, but never got the chance before all hell broke out. That is the war with Voldemort you know?"

"Yeah I realised." Harry said still too stunned to say anything else.

"Then I lost him in the war and I just couldn't come out alone. Then a few years ago I found him again. But our relationship had been through so much right before I lost him that we couldn't tell each other we still had feelings for each other. We did though around two years ago finally. We started picking up the threats but they were fragile so we went slow and didn't want to tell anybody yet. Our relationship had just newly become strong enough for us to want and come out when he...died." Remus finished and went silent.

They both stayed silent for a while, Harry wondering about what Remus had told him. Then a little light turned on in his brain and he realised...

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked looking at Remus who looked at him back. They started each other in the eyes and Harry continued. "Why didn't you tell me you and Sirius were a couple?"

"I am now Harry. It isn't easy when you've been keeping it a secret for 20 years. You are the first person except Sirius I tell I'm gay. We were not ashamed...but we were afraid. The Wizarding world in the 1970's was so uptight about everyone who where different that at first they welcomed Voldemort's theories. But when they became too extreme the society turned against him. But still there were prejudice, and we decided it wasn't anybody's business but ours."

"I understand. They could have killed you if they have known? Right?" Harry asked

"Right. They could have." Remus admitted. "But that is not something you have to worry about anymore. Some people might give you a hard time but no one would kill you over this now a days. But I'm going to be honest with you. Some people still look at homosexuality as a sickness, an unnatural thing. So you can never be absolutely sure. Some people might decide to beat the homosexuality out of you."

"Yeah but it's not like I'm not in danger already of being beaten up or killed. So that is not the issue. And I guess..." Harry stopped talking and Remus urged him on.

"And you guess what?"

"And I guess adding gay on top of the other things I already have going for me, The Boy Who Lived...so on... so forth isn't something I should worry about. I mean you were a werewolf and added that on top of you. Your kind, sorry about this, is hated and feared by everyone. I have the popularity vote from at least half of the Wizarding world and no one can wait for all around the world popularity. And if the press and public can't deal with it then..."

"Then fuck them Harry...fuck them all. They don't deserve you anyway." Remus said and the look on his face when he said fuck them made Harry realise for the first time why he had been a part of the Marauders.

"And my family...you..." Harry paused remembering Draco's words half a month ago. "If they love me...they will understand."

"Yes they will." Remus agreed a smile tugging at his lips "You really thought up every possible reason for why you couldn't be gay and now when we've dismissed them all. What about Draco?"

"What about him?" Harry asked.

"Does he know you might possibly, maybe like him?"

"He was as a matter of fact the one who told me he liked me first." Harry said.

"If I might Harry?" Remus asked.

"Sure...I asked for your help on this anyway"

"You've been in a relationship with Ginny. That didn't last really long. So think about who you felt about Ginny who you had strong enough feelings to start a relationship with."

"O.K.?" Harry said uncertain where this was going.

"Now think about your feelings for Draco." Remus added looking at him

Harry closed his eyes to isolate Remus's stare. He recollected his feelings every time he had seen Ginny during their time together. Imagined her face. Then he did the same for Draco. For a while he sat there. Then he realised. Ginny did not add up to the comparison. Harry opened his eyes and looked at Remus. Who smiled back at him like he knew what Harry was thinking.

Harry jumped out of the chair. His heart racing a million miles an hour.

"I..." He said his brain racing so fast he could barely make a whole sentence. "I gotta go find Draco, Remus thanks for the chat."

"Wait Harry aren't you going to tell me what..."

"Sorry Remus." Harry interrupted him. "I promised Draco he would be the first to know when I made a decision. I've got to run now. Thanks again bye".

Harry ran out like Voldemort was at his heels, to find Draco.

While Harry was at Remus's talking to him Draco was sitting at the library studying with Hermione and Ron.

Draco had spent the last week thinking too. But not about his feelings for Harry he knew them. He had been thinking about his mother since last Sunday. What she had said and the reason she had given for not being able to protect him from his father's "lessons." _"I did not have any choice."_ And the more he had thought about it the more he had realised she had been right. Finally he had gone to Claudia and they had a talk. Yesterday they have gone and visited their mother. They had told her she should not had allowed him to beat on any of them and that they used to be angry at her for not protecting them. But now they were over it. She had been a victim too and done the best she could. They had forgiven her and Narcissa had started crying hysterical. Claudia had started crying too and she and Narcissa had hugged like their lives depended on it. Draco had looked at them for a while and then went towards them and Narcissa had hugged him too. The first real hug Draco had gotten in over 10 years.

Draco had decided to forgive his mother because he could not keep on having a grudge against her and almost hating her like this. Hating people was the old Draco. He was the new Draco and did not want any more hate in his live.

Draco sighed and leaned back in the library chair he was sitting on, stretching.

"You all right Draco?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Yes I am fine. It is just I've finished studying and it is kind of boring sitting here not doing anything. And I cannot go."

"Sorry about that. I'll be finished in less than an hour so just hang on O.K.?" Hermione said looking apologetic.

"Sure." Draco said. He stood up and looked around the library. Then he noticed someone standing between the shelves. A person he hadn't spoken to in ages.

_ "Blaise Zabini."_ Draco thought _"Fucking hot as always."_ He said to himself as he checked Blaise out in secrecy. Draco was still a Malfoy and more Slytherin than he would ever be a Gryffindor and now a thought crept into his head and he smirked in his old Malfoy way.

"Hermione is it all right if I go and have a look for a book I've been wanting to read for a while."

Hermione occupied in the books answered absentminded.

"What? Oh yeah sure."

"Thanks." Draco said and walked fast towards where he had seen Blaise disappear behind one of the bookshelves. He turned the corner and saw Blaise who was looking at some book with his back turned at him. Draco smirked again and snuck up behind him. He leaned in close and whispered in Blaise's ear.

"Guess who?"

Blaise startled turned around and upon seeing Draco's face he sighed a breath of relive.

"Draco by Merlin...do not scare me like this."

"Sorry. You know how I'm like. Always have the have the element of surprise."

Blaise looked Draco up and down with a critique eye and to Draco's delight he seemed to like what he saw.

"So how have you been Draco?" he asked after eyeing Draco.

"I am good Blaise thank you and you?"

"Can't complain although Slytherin is considerably more boring without you. And there are few things to please the eye. So how is your mission going?"

"You know about that?" Draco asked surprised.

"You know Pansy she can't keep her big mouth shut."

"No she never can, can she?" Draco stopped and then decided to stop this pointless polite conversation and do what he came here to do. "I didn't really come here to talk about Pansy's big mouth."

"Oh really I thought you had gotten quite familiar with Pansy's big mouth" Blaise said sounding smug.

"I would rather renew my familiarity with your mouth Blaise." Draco said and ran his tongue slowly over his lips to make his point clear.

"I'm sorry Draco. I would love to but I told you last year I won't do this with someone who is playing for His team." Blaise said looking real sorry.

"What if I am not playing for His team anymore? What if I quit His team?" Draco asked.

"What do you mean Draco? If you're not...playing in His team anymore then why are you hanging around the Trio for?"

"Because I swished teams and my former Captain will not be too pleased when he finds out. The Trio are my "babysitters"."

At those words Draco realised he had said too much and stopped talking afraid of Blaise's reactions. Blaise on the other hand looked like he had broken his jaw he was gaping so much at Draco's words.

"I shouldn't have said that Blaise... shit. You're still neutral right? I...bloody hell. I was..."

"Don't worry Draco, I'm still neutral and I won't tell anyone. I swear on our friendship. I do not want to see you dead or worse. But your guessing was wrong if you think I want to get reacquainted with you now."

"Oh shut up Blaise." Draco said frustrated and dragged Blaise towards him in a hard and desperate kiss. At first Blaise looked like he wasn't going to answer back and Draco broke the kiss. "I am sorry Blaise I should not have done..." But before he could finish Blaise dragged him against him and gave him a kiss back matching his own. Draco responded and for a while they kissed like their lives depended on it. Blaise drew back in a couple of minutes, looked at Draco and gave him one of his rare smiles.

"Still a great kisser Draco, but I do not recall you responding so hard to a couple of kisses, even if they are mind blowing." Blaise said beckoning towards Draco's crotch where there was a very physical evidence of their kiss.

"Well..." Draco said his voice hoarse. "I am kind of starved at the moment. Have not been getting any action lately. Not looking for it really. Have got my eyes set on someone special."

"Someone special hey? But you do know you can...take care of yourself right?" Blaise asked.

"Also difficult when you have someone watching your back 24 hours a day every day. They check on my every five minutes when I am taking a shower. I am not allowed to go to the bathroom alone and during the nights I am just too damn tired to think about my dick. During the mornings I use a spell I found to reduce my excitement and that works for couple of hours so my usual morning shower wank is a no go."

"I see." Blaise said sounding understanding. "This must be so hard on you." He started to move his hand that had not been tangled in Draco's hair downwards. "Maybe I can..." He came to a halt at Draco's crotch. "...help..." he unzipped the zipper on the pants. "...you out..." and slipped his hand inside Draco's pants, gripping at the bulge and started rubbing slowly.

"Oh sweet Merlin." Draco breathed and then all he could do was to lean against the bookshelves moaning.

Harry came running into the library and came to a screeching halt where Hermione and Ron were sitting still studying.

"Oh hi Harry." Hermione said

"Is everything O.K. mate you look kinda out of breath?" Ron asked concerned.

"Yes I'm fine. Where is Draco?" Harry asked hurriedly.

"He went to look for some book over there somewhere." Hermione said pointing towards where Draco had went.

"And you let him go alone?" Harry asked shocked.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other terrified when they realised they're mistake.

"Oh Harry. We're sorry; we didn't think...we were so busy studying and he..."

"Common let's go look for him." Harry said shortly and they all got up looking.

Harry ran towards where Hermione had pointed and slowed down when he went between the shelves. He stopped, listening, hoping to hear something which might point to where Draco was. And he heard something. A muffled moaning.

"_Shit he's being tortured."_Harry thought panicking and walk quickly towards the sound. He turned a corner and stopped, shocked at the sight that met him and gasped in surprise.

Draco was leaning against the shelves and was being snoged senseless by Blaise Zabini. Zabini also had his hand down Draco's paints and was moving it in a way that left no guessing to what they were doing.

Draco had heard a gasp and broke the kiss looking behind Blaise's shoulder. And he saw... Harry was standing there too shocked to do anything, looking at them. When Draco locked eyes with Harry's and saw that they were burning with what was clearly anger...and jealousy...he came quickly and with a loud moan.

_"The fucking bastard."_ Harry thought when Draco looked him in the eyes and Harry saw them becoming like floating silver, the same moment Draco came loudly. Unable to watch this anymore he turned around and left.

"Oh damn it." Draco cursed and broke his and Blaise's embrace when Harry looked like he was about to leave.

"That was quick" Blaise said his eyes glazed over. "Your turn" he said and then he noticed Draco's stare and followed it, seeing Harry in time as he turned around and walked away.

Draco cursed again and did a quick cleaning spell on himself.

"I have got to go." Draco said hurriedly and ran away.

"Someone special indeed." Blaise said smirking and then went back to looking for that book he had been searching for when Draco had interrupted him.

"Harry wait!" Harry heard Draco's desperate voice behind him as he ran out of the library and decided that defence was the best offence and turned around.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" He screamed at Draco.

Draco stopped dead when hearing the fury in Harry's voice.

"What do you care?" He said with venom in his voice. "We are not together. We are nothing. Because you are still thinking about things." Draco said mockingly imitating Harry's voice.

"I thought Blaise didn't do Voldemort's followers?" Harry asked.

"Well I'm not a part of his team anymore." Draco spat back.

"You told him?" Harry asked a cold sweat spreading out all over his body.

"Yes I did. But do not worry Harry. He will not tell. He is neutral. Remember?"

"What if they do not give him a choice?" Harry asked.

"He..." Draco said and then stopped realising Harry was right.

_"Oh double damn it."_ He thought.

"That's what I thought." Harry said. "You just endangered everything. Maybe just cost us the war. BECAUSE YOU WERE FUCKING HORNY!" He screamed at Draco.

Draco didn't know what to say.

"I did...I did not tell him everything. I only told him I'm not part of Voldemorts "team" anymore." He said brokenly.

"Yeah right" Harry snorted.

"You still do not trust me. I have done everything I have been asked. Been a good little boy. Shut out all of my former friends. Told you things that no one else knows off. And still you do not trust me?"

"What you just did does not give me a reason to trust you." Harry said.

"Well then...fine." Draco said his good vocabulary letting him down for the first time. "Tell McGonagall on me. Throw me into Azkaban. Punish me for a moment weakness because I wanted something that you will not give me. Because you cannot face you fears and admit you are a fucking fairy and that you might like me, like I like you."

"I won't do that Draco. I won't tell McGonagall about this" Harry said. "I understand weakness. But I can't and I won't forgive you any day soon for talking about the one of few things you were supposed to shut up about. Weakness or not. I'm not sure if I will be able to forgive you for this and trust you again, or if I will want you and me to become something more. I'm going to need more time."

"That's what you've said for over a month Harry. It's nearly December now. I'm a Malfoy and a Malfoy waits for no one. I'm through waiting Harry. We are over even before we began."

These words struck Harry harder than he would ever have cared to admit.

"Fine then." He said trying to hide his disappointment.

"Fine." Draco echoed.

Draco turned around to get back into the library to Hermione and Ron, but then Harry added.

"I was done." He said. "Thinking about things."

Draco looked back at Harry hopeful.

"And...?" he asked

"And I won't tell you now." Harry said his voice breaking than he ran away.

Draco looked after him and realised that he had for once and all blown it.

"Over before we even began." He said up loud to the empty hallway. Then he went back inside the library and took a seat next to Hermione and Ron how had witnessed Harry's run out of the library and Draco's pursuit.

"What were you fighting about now?" Ron asked

"Can't you just get along?" Hermione asked.

Draco answered them sarcastically sounding like his old self

"We were not fighting, we are just fine."

TBC

**Author's note:** I want to thank everyone who had read, I'm always surprised when I see how many have read my story. Although it would be nice to get more reviews *Hint*. Please do not be mad at me because the boys aren't together yet. It will happen real soon. Promise.

More reviews encourage me to write faster;)


	14. I Know

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(We are getting there I promise) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Word Count: **4.812  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. Smut.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Hermione is always the know it all.

**Author's note:** First of all I want to say to Veracityrules; I am really happy you have been following the story from the beginning. I am not mad at you for not reviewing sooner... you are forgiven. And thank you so much for the compliment I rather hope the plots are good since I've been thinking about this story for four years. Thanks for reading and reviewing

Second thrnbrooke; I love that you are getting emotional about the story. That is so much fun for me I love getting a reaction out of my readers. Like always super special thanks for the loyal reading and reviewing.

Thirdly: Thanks to everyone that have read and/or reviewed.

Chapter 14 – I Know

When people talk about that story repeats itself they usually don't mean with such a short period of time between two cases. But in the case of Harry and Draco that is just what happened. After they're fight in front of the library they stopped talking to each other for the second time in a less than a month. They didn't talk or acknowledge each other for 10 days. Harry told Ron and Hermione they would have to "babysit" Draco and took no arguments about it. He started to sit, walk between classes, and hang around with Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas.

Draco kept on being the good little boy and allowed Hermione and Ron to "babysit" him ignoring Harry as much as he ignored him.

Despite having cut Draco out and being supposedly ignoring him Harry couldn't stop looking at him when he no one was looking and he couldn't stop thinking about him either. Spending almost every waking moment wondering if he had been too harsh on him. Wondering if he should apologize and tell Draco his decision, that he had been planning to tell him that day in the library. Then his stubbornness took over.

"_I shouldn't apologize. I didn't do anything. He should apologize to me. I'm going to ignore him until he does. Yes that is what I'm going to do."_

Then he would keep on thinking about Draco.

Draco was also thinking about and watching Harry too. All the time. Supposedly ignoring him. He thought about that day at the library too. Wondering if maybe he shouldn't have done this thing with Blaise. That maybe he shouldn't have told Harry they were over before they began. That he should apologize to him. Tell Harry he was right, being horny wasn't an excuse. Then he would get stubborn too.

"_Nothing really happened and we were not a couple when this little thing between me and Blaise happened. We are not a couple. He has no right getting so angry with me. I did not tell Blaise anything that matters. And Blaise will not say anything. Harry overreacted and he should apologize to me. I'm not apologizing to him. I'm going to ignore him back until he does. That is what I am going to do."_

Then he would keep on thinking about Harry.

On the 20'th of December Draco was sitting at the Gryffindor table during breakfast with Ron and Hermione. He hadn't slept well the night before, constantly thinking about the fight between him and Harry and that had robbed him of his sleep. Draco yawned widely which drew Ron and Hermione's attention.

"You tired?" Hermione asked

"Yeah you look like crap, you got bags under your eyes you know?" Ron added

"WHAT?" Draco half screamed and drew up a mirror he had in his schoolbag looking at himself

"Oh bugger that." Draco claimed when seeing the blue bags he had under his eyes. He drew up his wand and casted a glamour under his eyes which made the bags disappear.

"Better?" He asked Ron and Hermione

"Now I know for sure you gay." Ron said. "No straight guy would ever get this worked up over bags under their eyes or carry a mirror in his bag for no apparent reason."

"You telling me you were not sure?" Draco asked. "It was not enough for you that I spend fortunes in nice looking clothes, then wear them or that I spend at least 15 minutes in the shower every day, fix me hair every change that I get and stare after hot guys?"

"Yes but this was the ultimate proof." Ron said stupidly.

Hermione had been looking at Ron and Draco during their conversation and now she shook her head

"Anyway." She said. "How come you are so tired Draco? Are you not getting enough sleep? Is something wrong?"

"No Hermione I am..." Draco sighed and then decided to stop pretending. "I have not been sleeping well since that fight with Harry. I keep going over and over the things that I said, what he said, what I should and shouldn't had said and it's driving me half crazy. Why can I not just let this go?" He asked and looked at Ron and Hermione with pleading in his eyes.

"I know what is wrong with you." Ron said to Draco sounding awfully smug. "You have a case of what we humans that experience emotions call a guilty conscience."

"I should not have that against Harry." Draco said defensively. "I did not do anything to Harry."

"What did you do?" Hermione asked cutting Draco off. "What happened?"

Draco sighed and then he thought

_"A leap of faith. If they hate me too I will know I did something utterly wrong and apologize to Harry."_

"Remember I told you I was going to go look for a book?"

"Yes." Hermione and Ron said in unison.

"Well I wasn't. I saw my ex between the shelves and wanted to meet him in private."

"You mean Zabini?" Hermione asked.

"Yes I was...well quite frankly I was horny and thought he might be able to help me"

Ron had been taking a sip of his pumpkin juice and upon hearing that he gulped on the juice coughing violently. Hermione slammed Ron in the back and when Ron had recovered a bit she asked the obvious question.

"You know Draco that you can... well you know...take care of that kind of situation...without help."

"I know Hermione I am not stupid." Draco snapped "I have got the second highest grades in our year after you of course. And do tell Hermione when was I exactly supposed to be able to take care of myself? In case you have not realised I am kind of closely watched these days."

Hermione stared at him and then seemed to realise what he was saying. She blushed scarlet red and simply said "Oh."

"Yes Hermione...oh...watched day and night 24 bloody 7. I barely get five minutes alone in the shower."

"I can't believe we are talking about this." Ron said and then he looked like he had decided to play along and asked "What about during the nights?"

"During the nights I sleep Ronald. I have a tendency to look rather bad if I do not get enough sleep." Draco said pointing at his glamoured bags "Besides McGonagall forbade me to do any silencing charms and stuff like that around my bed. She put up some defence charms around it that alarm her if I get attacked. Silencing charms mess it up."

"Oh" Ron said.

"Yeah oh" Draco added sarcastically. "Anyway I went to Blaise and inclined I needed some...help. He was not too eager to give it but in order to get him more eager I told him I was not part of You-Know-How's team anymore. Blaise gave in and he was...helping me when Harry walked in on us and he got mad that I was...communicating with Blaise. Harry ran out of the library I followed him and we had a fight. I accidently told him what I have told Blaise and that got him madder. We fought some more and then he went away. I came back into the library and joined you. End of story."

Ron and Hermione stared at him open mouth.

"You told him?" Hermione asked.

"Yes but it was not anything important it was only about me nothing else. I did not mention..." Draco dropped his voice "I did not tell him about the plan or Snape. Besided Blaise is neutral he will not tell anyone about this."

"What if someone makes him?" Ron asked

"Well worst case I will get killed." Draco said "Honestly I am not really having high hopes of surviving this war anyway. I will not matter if I die now or after couple of years."

"All right then." Hermione said a bit surprised at Draco's forwardness. "I understand you and Harry having a fight about this, but not that you haven't made up already. Like you said you did not even tell Blaise anything that will harm the Order, only yourself."

"I understand." Ron said "Harry can be really stubborn. He wants you to make the first step and apologize to him."

"Well I won't." Draco said. "Let's go we are late for class." Draco said standing up.

"Ehh... Draco. The last classes before Christmas break were yesterday. Everyone is leaving for the holidays in about half an hour." Hermione said.

"And she means everyone. The only people staying behind these Christmas are me, Hermione, you, Harry, Ginny and Claudia. Well and of course the teachers and your mother. McGongall talked to Harry yesterday and he told us she reckons the Headquarters aren't save enough right now for us to stay there over Christmas. But mom insisted we came on Christmas day for lunch and McGonagall agreed to that. And you, Claudia and your mother are invited." Ron said.

"Thanks Ronald we will be there." Draco said. "But why is everyone leaving?"

"The parents want their children home over Christmas. The Wizarding world is at war. They want to see their kids because they might be dead before they see them next. The family reunited for maybe the last time." Hermione said.

"So why aren't you two going then?" Draco asked.

"Our place is next to Harry. That is what we chose when we became his friends." Ron told him

"That is...really nice of you both." Draco said. "I have never had such loyal friends."

"You said it yourself your friends weren't really your friends." Hermione said

"Yes that is true." Draco said then a thought struck him. "Wait a second. Hermione you said everyone is leaving? The only people staying behind are me, you, Ronald, Harry, Claudia and Ginny. Except for mother who kind of lives here and the teachers?"

"Yes." Hermione said. "And it's only the teachers that don't have anywhere else to go. McGonagall, Remus and Snape are staying but they are going to be away half the time working on some stuff for the Order, Harry told us. Trealwney is staying but she barely comes out of her tower. Hagrid is of course staying in his hut and Filch is staying but Harry said McGonagall asked him to leave us alone as long as we aren't breaking any rules.

"No one else is staying then? Are you sure?" Draco asked.

During their conversation the Hall had started emptying, students going to pick up their stuff and leaving for the Hogwarts Express. Now the last student's were going, since the train was leaving at nine. Seamus and Dean where among the last one's to stand up saying their goodbyes to Harry and doing the same as they walked past Ron, Hermione and Draco.

"Marry Christmas you three." Dean said

"And Happy New Year. See you all January 6'Th." Seamus added.

When they left the Hall it was empty except for Harry who stood up and walked towards them and the last of the teachers who left around the same time. Draco smirked and looked for a minute so much like his old self that Hermione got chills all over.

"So no one is staying here but us?" Draco asked again

"That is what Hermione said are you daft Draco?" Ron asked

"That means." Draco said still smirking and looking at them both. "That there is not going to be anyone here during the Christmas break that might...let's say try and kill me or harm me in any way if You-Know- Who and his followers were to find out that I had switched teams. That means that I will not need any babysitters during Christmas. Because they are only watching out for me because I might be at risk of getting harmed. Which is not happening since there is no one at school right now that might harm me. That means that..."

At that moment Harry came up to them.

"He guys what's up?" he asked.

Draco turned around and started Harry straight into the eyes.

"That means..." he repeated. "That until January 6'Th I am free." Then Draco grabbed his schoolbag and ran out of the Great Hall.

"He can't do that." Harry said a bit upset. "We have to go after him."

"Leave him!" McGonagall strong voice all of sudden rang through the air. The Trio looked at her, where she Snape and Lupin were the only teacher still sitting at the teachers table, but were getting ready to leave. "I overheard what you were saying and Mr Malfoy is right. There is no one staying in this school during the Holidays that might harm him if they found out the truth. Therefore you do not need to follow my orders that I gave you September 1'st until the rest of the student population returns after the Christmas break. Repeating Mr Malfoy's words you are all free of having to spend every waking moment keeping an eye on him." Then she stood. "Me, Severus and Remus are going to be tending Order business all day. You already know you needn't worry about Filch. Trealwney is like usual in her tower and Hagrid is going to check in on you once or twice. So you are basically free as long as you do not break any rules. Try and behave I trust you are old enough."

The Trio nodded their heads and McGonagall left the Hall quickly followed by Snape and Remus that waved them bye.

They waved back and then Ron said.

"We are teacher free, enemy free and Draco free. It's just the three of us like the good old days. What do you guys wanna do?"

2 hours later found them in the Gryffindor tower. Harry and Ron were in a middle of exciting chess game and Hermione was reading _Hogwarts: A History_ for the millionth time according to Ron.

Draco came bursting into the tower carrying besides his school bag a big plastic bag.

Hermione closed her book and looked strictly at Draco.

"Where've you been?" She asked.

"Enjoying my freedom." Draco said. "Danced through almost every hallway in Hogwarts and broke into Slytherin getting some stuff that I hid there last year. Did you know they gave someone else my private room?"

"YOU WHAT?" Both Harry and Ron asked, rushing to Draco where he was sitting down on one of the couches next to a table, looking really smug with himself.

"Draco why on earth?" Hermione asked.

"My house. Remember. Besides it was not really a burglary when I got Blaise to tell me the password. And I was getting MY stuff."

"What were you getting?" Ron asked curious.

"Let us see Ronald." Draco said and opened the bag. He first pulled out a big glass bottle filled with brown fluid.

"Ogden's Old Finest Firewhiskey" he said putting the bottle on the table. Then he pulled another glass bottle which had a clear fluid in it.

"Wizard's Vodka?" Ron asked

"Yes, right you are." Draco said and pulled what looked like a six pack of

"Mead?" Harry asked.

"Yes the actually come in other things than big brown mug's" Draco said referring to when Hagrid drank mead. Then he continued dragging out the contents of the bag that had seemed big first but now seemed too small for all this alcohol. "Six pack of butterbeer, a carton (10 packs) of Marlboro and...that is it" Draco said finishing the list a little too quickly. Harry and the others could see that there was something at the bottom

"No it is not." Hermione said. "There is something at the bottom that looks like three or four things.

"_Oh damn it I keep forgetting they are not Slytherin's they are going to be less than pleased by this."_ "Yes there is but I didn't buy it." Draco started to say sounding defensive "Crabbe and Goyle did during the last Christmas break. They gave it to me because I had been so stressed out. They were trying to calm me down, loosen up a bit, the smoking were only doing so little. I only took it maybe five or six times, I drank a lot more...I swear...please...do not get mad." Draco begged sounding desperate.

Harry remembered that time when he saw Draco crying in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom during last year, asked him calmly.

"What is in the bag Draco?" Receiving from Draco surprised stare since this was the first time for ten days that he talked to him directly.

"It is..." Draco stopped swallowing the lump in his throat. "...muggle drugs." Draco quickly took out the rest of the bags contents. First he dragged out a box that had something that looked like 7 home made cigarettes in it. "Pot", small bag containing three even smaller bags with white powder like stuff. "Coce." Then another small bag with seven or eight little pills that had smile faces on them. "E's. I only smoked three of those..." He pointed at the marijuana."...took two of those..." He pointed at the E's "...and had one line of this. They made me feel..." He paused looking for a way to describe the effects " ...great... like I didn't have a care in the world, and getting a blow job or something during the high...whow...but then it wore off I felt ill and looked like shit. And while under it I did not get any job down so I stashed them away."

"But you wanted more?" Hermione asked.

"Yes the first days were hell. All I wanted to do was to get that...high again...to not feel a thing. But I didn't give in since I had a job to do."

"Good for you Draco. Those things are addictive and you can't get rid of the addiction with some spells like with the Wizard's drugs."

Draco snorted. "Wizard's drugs are shit. You can get higher on breathing fresh air."

"So I guess you received that blow job while high from Zabini?" Harry all of sudden grabbed into the conversation sounding jealous.

"_I cannot believe he is bringing this up now."_ Draco thought furious.

"Yes I did get it from Blaise, just like the hand job last week."

"And what did you have to tell him that time?"

"Nothing. I did not HAVE to tell him anything. I was horny Harry I was not getting any and someone was not willing to give it so I looked for it from someone that was willing to. I did not mean to tell him anything it dropped out when he was trying to turn me down, because I was desperate. For the second time I am sorry Harry. I made a mistake. I am just a man."

"You could have waited."

"Waited for what Harry? You? Believe me I wanted to but I was not getting any from you. Not any answers...and certainly not a hand job."

"I was..." Harry started but then he seemed to realise they had an audience. Hermione and Ron were staring at them. Ron mouth a bit open and with a confuse look on his face clearly not getting what was going on. Hermione with that look on her face like her suspicions had been confirmed.

"What? Cat got your tongue Harry?" Draco said sarcastically. Then he noticed the audience too. "Oh bloody hell." He muttered. "Harry I for..." he started to say but Harry looked at him, Ron and Hermione all in turns and shook his head like trying to deny what had just happened. Because you would have to be really thick to not get what their fight had been about. Then Harry turned on his heels and ran up to the boy's dormitory.

"Oh my Merlin." Hermione stuttered out. "I knew there was something weird going on and I had some options in mind but this one was among..."

"Don't..." Draco said his voice sounded broken. "Hermione you...you both do not have a clue how worried..." Then he stopped unable to say more and started to walk towards the hole to get out of the tower. Before going through he said over his shoulder. "Hermione could you get rid of the stuff for me. I do not want this anymore. I do not feel any need for those drugs anymore and that alcohol is no good for me."

Hermione waved her wand wordlessly and the cigarettes, alcohol and drugs vanished.

"Thank you." Draco said and then he left.

Hermione stared at the back of the painting where Draco had just exited through.

"Hermione. What was that about?" Ron asked sounding lost. "If I didn't know any better I would swear that it sounded like Harry and Draco have a...thing for each other."

"They do." Hermione said in a flat tone. "And clearly Harry has been denying his feelings towards Draco because he is afraid of our opinion. He's afraid we will stop being his friends if he comes out and starts dating Draco on top of that...our used to be arch enemy and torturer."

Ron looked both terrified and angry of the thought of Harry being gay and fancying Draco. But before he could say anything Hermione had seen the look and his face and hissed at him.

"Ronald Weasley don't you dare! Don't you dare being such a selfless, emotionless bastard that you are going to stop being Harry's friend if he...for the first time in his live...does something that would finally make him happy. Despite what others thing. If he does this he's going to get a lot of shit from the press and the public. The least we can do for him is to be supportive of him. We are his friends...his family. We are not going to stop being that just because he likes other boys. You don't need to worry I know he doesn't fancy you one bit. And if he wants to date Draco then...well Draco is a lot better person than we thought he was and he's getting better every day and honestly I think Harry can do worse." Hermione stopped to take a deep breath and was clearly going to keep on with her arguing but Ron caught her off.

"Hermione stop. I was going to get a little angry and well kind of terrified of the notion of Harry being gay and liking Draco on top of that. But I still have a tendency of thinking of the old Draco...the few times I thing about him...the new Draco surprises me every day. Sure he's still a prick and his newest gig...getting it on in the library with Blaise proves that. He really is getting better at being a nice guy every day. And I...well...I honestly thing too that Harry could do a lot worse...he could decide to date Justin Finch-Fletchley. But what I really wanted to say is that I kind of saw this coming. Draco and Harry... they've always been able to push each other's buttons way more than is normal for typical arch nemeses relationship. I think that they knew everyone expected them to hate each other and when somewhere deep down they realised they didn't...then they took the show to the extreme to proof to both them just like everyone else that they did in fact hate each other. Only they never really did. But for years they even managed to fool themselves. When Draco came in August I saw the looks he gave Harry when he thought no one was looking. And in October I started noticing the same with Harry. Then they got all weird with each other after Halloween and that just proofed my suspicion. Then there is the Harry is gay deal. I've known that since third year. He couldn't stop staring at Oliver Wood's arse in the showers after Quidditch practises when he thought no one was looking. I allowed him to date Ginny because I knew he would have to date a girl in order to realise this and Ginny needed to get him out of her system. So here you are Hermione. Please don't start yelling at me again And what I want to say at the end that if it makes Harry happy...who cares... he deserves it."

Hermione started at Ron amazed and Ron snorted a bit sounding amused.

"And you say I have the emotional range of a teaspoon."

Hermione still wordless walked up at Ron with a weird look on her face. Ron looked at her like she was carrying something infective.

"Hermione what..." but before he could get any further Hermione had grabbed him and given him the biggest kiss he had ever had. She finally let him go after a minute and Ron couldn't do anything else but stare at her.

Hermione looked at him smiling and was a bit out of breath. "Ron I love you." She said seriously.

"I...I love you too Hermione...have for years in fact. But why now?"

"No time Ron. We will talk about us later. Right now why need to get Harry and Draco together because they never will on their own. I will go talk to Harry and you find Draco.

"Why do I get Draco?" Ron asked shocked.

"Cause you two need to make peace with each other." Hermione said and ran up the stairs.

Ron went out through the painting of the Fat Lady to look for Draco.

Harry was sitting on his bed, his thoughts whirling around in his head like it was a Penesive, when Hermione came bursting through the door.

"Stop it Harry." She said.

"Hermione what...?"

"I want you to stop being a stubborn arse and just admit your feelings and who you are." She said sternly. "Well...?" she asked. "Don't you have something to tell me?"

"_She knows._" Harry thought _"And I think she is all right with it otherwise I don't think she would act like this. She wants her to tell her...fine then I will."_

"Hermione I'm gay." Harry said and took a deep breath adding. "And I like Draco...a lot."

"We're fine Harry." She simply said back to him.

"What do you..?"

"Me and Ron...we don't mind. If it makes you happy then you deserve it. And we both thing you could do a lot worse than Draco. So go get him."

Harry felt to his horror that he had tears in his eyes.

"You...both...Ron?"

"Yes. Now go and find Draco and tell him you like him a lot. Because of the four of us he's the only one that doesn't know."

That was the only encouragement Harry needed. He got of his bed and left the room quickly.

Ron came out through the hole behind the painting of the Fat Lady and found Draco sitting against the wall only a couple of feet away supporting his head against his hands.

"Draco." He said carefully.

Draco looked up and when seeing only Ron went back to the same position.

"What do you want Ronald?" he asked

"I wanted to tell you...that we know what has been going on with you and Harry."

"I kind of figured that out."

"But can I ask you something?" Ron asked

"Be my guest Ronald."

"I thought that when a Malfoy wanted something or someone they would just take it. So why haven't you?"

"I am trying to change. Besides you can't just take a person you want. That is rape you know? "

"Would it change anything if that person wants you...like you want him? And that his friends are O.K. with it?"

Draco looked up again and stared at Ron for a moment his silver eyes showing hope and gratitude like nothing Ron had ever seen before. Ron smiled a bit.

"You're a Malfoy, Draco. Go get him."

Draco scrambled up and rushed towards Ron. He held out his hand and Ron took it a little confused again.

"Thank you...Ron." Draco said

"You're welcome Draco."

Then Draco took off back inside Gryffindor tower.

Harry ran down the stairs.

Draco came into the Common room and went running up the stairs.

Halfway through the staircase up to the boy's dormitory, Harry and Draco saw each other. Harry immediately jumped at Draco, pushed him against the wall, only this time less violently than before, and gave him the most head spinning kiss Draco had ever received. After at least minute Harry broke the contact of their lips and whispered ever so softly into Draco's ear.

"I know."

Draco for the first time in his life was at lost for words and simply looked at Harry smile and affection showing in his eyes, and Harry leaned in for another kiss.

Hermione and Ron both came from different directions at the same time and upon seeing them kiss Hermione worded Draco's thoughts.

"It was about bloody time"

TBC

I finally got the boys together. I don't know about you but I think that deserves a review.


	15. Together

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(At long last) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG (just to be safe)  
**Word Count: **4213  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. Smut. Sexual activity.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

The boys are finally together.

**Author's note:** Don't kill me. This chapter became a lot more graphic that I indented and now I'm really nervous because this is the first time I write such a graphic description of a boy smut. So please be kind.

Chapter 15 – Together

"Is it safe?" Draco whispered.

"Yes come on." Harry whispered back.

The boys snuck out of the Room of Requirement, Harry holding out his wand to give them some light. They sneaked around the corner, Harry being the expert in sneaking around after curfew leading the way.

"I cannot believe we forgot the time again." Draco said. "It's the third time this week. We are going to get caught soon if we do not stop this."

"Mhmm...no way." Harry said shaking his head in denial. "From now one I'm keeping my father's cloak and the Marauder's map in my bag so we can stay in the Room of Requirement as long as we want after curfew."

"Your what?" Draco asked confused.

"I inherited an Invisibility cloak form my father. I got it from Dumbledore who kept it save for my father. The Marauder's map is a map of Hogwart's and the grounds that my father and his friends, whom called themselves the Marauders made. It shows everything in this school every corner and secret tunnel, even the people who stay here and where they are at every time."

Draco snorted. "You know I always wondered how you got away with sneaking around after curfew so much. Those two things are like the rule breakers wet dream."

They came to a halt at the painting of the Fat Lady who looked at them strictly.

"I should call Filch and get you two detentions. It's after 11 o'clock the curfew's been on for hours."

"We forgot we're sorry. Please let don't call Filch." Harry asked her.

"It's the third time this week."

"It will not happen again. We promise Lady please?" Draco begged putting on his full Malfoy charms.

The Fat Lady sighed. "Oh alright then. Password?"

"Wand waving werewolf." Harry said and the painting swung open. Fortunately there was only handful of people left in the Common Room since it was getting close to twelve o'clock. Among them were Hermione and Ron who were clearly to busy snogging the lives out of each other to go to sleep.

"What happened with that disgust you had of public display of affection?" Harry asked Hermione as he and Draco sat opposite them.

Hermione broke her and Ron's embrace and slit into the couch next to him.

"It's kind of difficult when you finally get together with the person you've loved for years." She said. "Where have you two been?"

"Where do you think?" Draco asked. "The place we have been almost every night the last two weeks. After we discovered it was the perfect place to be in peace with zero risk at someone walking in on us and telling the whole school about us, and therefore the Slytherin's finding out that I had switched sides and hurting me."

"The Room of Requirement then." Hermione said.

"And without a doubt in my mind doing the same thing me and Hermione only in private." Ron added. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are not snogging each other in front of us. I might have agreed to my best friend being a big poof and starting to date our ex-arch nemesis but that doesn't mean that I want to watch you two. Yuck."

"Well I am not." Draco said. "Glad... I want to be able to kiss Harry, hold hands with him in the hallways...publicly showing my affection. But we cannot because then everyone will know that I am a traitor and I will wind up dead."

Harry gave Draco a strange expression like he wanted to say something.

"I think it's time to go to bed." Hermione piped up. "You too Ronald."

"What? Why?"

"Because I think we should leave them alone." She hissed under her breath and dragged Ron towards the stairs.

"Ah...ah O.K...O.K. Hermione...I get it... good night guys."

"Good night." Both Draco and Harry said in unison. As soon as Hermione and Ron had disappeared up the stairs, Harry looked at Draco smiling at him.

"What?" Draco said sounding defensive. "I did not say anything. Did I? I only said that I wished we could be more open about us being together."

"That's why I am smiling Draco." Harry said and unexpectedly gave Draco a hug. At first Draco stiffened a bit but then he relaxed into the embrace and even hugged Harry back. "You really are trying." Harry said, referring to a conversation he and Draco had had in the middle of January, after dating for around three weeks.

_ Harry and Draco were walking from the library where they had been studying for the last few hours. They were walking past an abandoned classroom that was open when Harry stopped._

_ "What time is it?" He asked Draco_

_ "10:30" Draco said. "Half an hour until curfew. Why?" He asked. _

_ Harry smiled and took Draco at the front of his robes dragging him into the classroom quickly closing the doors and putting up silencing and locking spells. Then he turned around and gave Draco a passionate kiss, mumbling into it._

_ "I've wanted to do this all day. I wish I could kiss you in public not having to hide like we do now."_

_ Draco moaned and kissed him eagerly back. They kissed for a while but then Harry stopped and hugged Draco closely cuddling against him. Draco stiffened immediately and pushed Harry away a bit ignoring Harry's hurt look._

_ "Let's go. We do not want to be caught on the halls after curfew."_

_ "Why do you do that?" Harry asked him_

_ "Do what Harry? I do not know what you are talking about."_

_ "You don't mind us kissing, groping each other but as soon as I want to talk about us or talk about anything for that matter or cuddle, you get all stiff and change the subject. Are you one of those people that when you finally get what you wanted, you get bored of it right away?" Harry's eyes started to tear up. "Because if that is case, then I wish you would just tell me you don't like me anymore instead of trying to...spare my feelings. I would rather not be in a relationship, than to be in one that the other person doesn't want to be in."_

_ Draco's eyes widened in shock at those words. He walked up at Harry and grabbed his arm with one hand and used the other to take Harry's chin forcing him to look him in the eyes. "No Harry. I am not bored of you. I do like you. A lot." _"More than you will ever know. Harry I love you."_ He thought but up loud he said. "I like you a lot. The reason why I always stiffen up every time you try to talk to me about us or anything or cuddle me...this is started to sound like a broken record...but...I'm a Malfoy. Remember what I told you my father taught me as the first rule when he started his lessons when I was seven? Hmmm? Remember?_

_ "Yes. Never show your emotions. They are weakness that your enemies will use against you. But I'm not your enemy Draco._

_ "I know. Another lesson he taught me, linked to this one, was that if you ever showed the person in your life your whole emotions. If you ever told that person everything you feel. Told it everything there is to know about you. Gave that person yourself freely, wholly, then that person would find out something about you that it didn't want to know. And that person would leave you. Leaving you broken. And possessing all knowledge about you, would give that person power over you that you would not want it to have. That is why I stiffen up. I..." Draco took a deep breath._

_ "You don't trust me. Finally when you've gained my trust. You don't trust me?"_

_ "I trust you Harry. But I'm afraid. I have told you before. It is hard forgetting lessons that were beaten into you. It is also hard not stiffening up when I am asked to do those things you ask of me. When my father started to "teach" me when I was seven, he forbade my mother to cuddle me because he was toughening me up. That included hugs. I was not hugged until, me and Pansy started dating and then it was because she wanted something from me. A kiss... or something. The same thing with Blaise. You know we rarely kissed and never hugged unless it was involving something else, something sexual. We wanked and groped each other. But kiss. We were never that intimate. A kiss is a lot more intimate thing than a hand job or even a fuck. And I never talked to Pansy or Blaise. Not about me or us. We talked about superficial things like clothes or school. They never told me something person or asked me to tell them something personal. We are all Slytherin's. I bet they were taught the same things as me. Keep personal things personal. Do not share them not even with that special someone in your life."_

_ "That is terrible. All of it. But especially...your mother hasn't hugged you for ten years?" Harry asked him as shocked as always finding out that despite having parents, Draco hadn't had a better childhood than him._

_ "She did the other day. When Claudia and I talked to her after you all found out about Claudia...well you know. The first real hug in ten years. Until you. You do not expect us to go any further. Not yet. You just want to hug to feel close to me, intimate. Not because you want a wank. Just a kiss that is all you want, a hug and a talk. And I can only give you one of these things."_

_ "Yet." Harry walked close up to Draco and opened his arms. Offering Draco a hug. Draco looked at him and after a while he walked into the embrace. Harry didn't know why but he started to cry, then he felt that his shirt was getting wet. By Draco's tears."_

_ "I cannot." He started._

_ "Shh..." Harry shushed. "It's all right; you don't have to hug me back until you want to. And you don't have to tell me a thing until you feel ready. Thank you for telling me why...though. Every time you tell me something like this I realise our childhoods weren't all that different. You might have grown up with your parents, but they didn't show you any more love than the Dursley's did to me. You might have gotten every worldly thing you wanted. Enough food."_

_ "No I did not." Draco's muffled voice could be heard from Harry's shoulder. "Father never let me eat as much as I wanted. He did not want me to get fat. But I did get all the stuff I wanted unlike you."_

_ "But not enough food or love. Just like me."_

_ "The difference is..." Draco broke the embrace and didn't allow Harry to see his face until he had wiped the tears of his cheeks, then he turned and looked at Harry. "...that you want love, you seek for it...starve for it. I try to block it out. But I am going to try for now one. Soon we will talk Harry. Soon we will hug."_

"And soon we did hug." Harry smiled at Draco as they remembered Draco's final words in their conversation in January.

"And talked. I told Ron and Hermione what I am feeling. That I am not glad that we cannot show our affection publicly. In fact it is killing me Harry."

"It is?" Harry asked happy that his boyfriend had started to open up to him. _"My boyfriend."_ He thought glad and his chest filled with a warm feeling that Harry associated with..._"No it's still too early. I can't. He only likes me. I don't know if he...loves... me. Like...oh Merlin...like I love him. There I've admitted it. I don't only like Draco Malfoy. I love him...or to be completely true to myself. I'm in love with him."_

Harry had been staying silent for a bit too long and he saw that Draco was staring at him curiously. "A Galleon for your thoughts."

"Isn't that a bit much? I usually only offer a Sickle."

Draco shrugged "Well I am rich I can afford it."

"I'm rich too. I just don't toss my money around. But you were saying it is killing you not to be able to show people we are together. Why?" Harry asked quickly changing the subject.

"Because. I want everyone to know. I want them to know Harry Potter is my boyfriend. He chose me not them and they better keep their hands and eyes off. I would scream from the rooftops, for everyone to hear, if I could."

"Hands and eyes off?" Harry asked amused.

"Yes. People look at you. Mostly girls since everyone thing you are straight but some guys too. And I do not want them to touch or even look at you." Out of the blue Draco wrapped his arms around Harry (The Common Room had been empty for a while so they could touch each other freely now.) "I do not want them to even think about you." Draco growled and buried his face in Harry's neck at nibbled at it playfully. "I am possessive Harry I should have warned you. It is not nice. I want everyone to know you are mine and they should only try. I would rip their heads off."

Harry laughed. "And here I was thinking I was the aggressive one in this relationship."

"You have only yourself to blame Harry. You asked me to open up. Show you who I really am. And now I am." Draco said and then he attacked Harry's neck sucking on it until Harry was sporting a red spot on his neck right above the collarbone. Then Draco moved his mouth and started to suck on Harry's neck in other places.

Harry closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of only receiving for once.

Then Draco grabbed his lips in a fierce kiss, which Harry responded to eagerly.

Harry's hands had been tangled in Draco's hair but now he started to move them. He roamed them over Draco's back and came to a halt at Draco's hips where Draco had, like always, tucked his shirt in his pants. Harry grabbed on the offending material and tugged up Draco's shirt and dived his hand under it, feeling the hard, well build, muscles in Draco's back. Then he moved his hands to the front, moving over Draco's nice feeling six-pack.

Despite being together for over a month now the boys had never gone further than cuddle, kisses and some groping...with all their clothes still on. But there was something in the air that night. When Draco started to feel Harry's hands going under his shirt, he smirked into their kiss. They had been sitting up the entire time but now Draco broke the kiss. Getting a disappointed sound from Harry who still had his hands all over Draco's stomach and chest. Draco took Harry by the shoulders and pushed him gently down into the sofa. Making Harry lie down so that he was on top of him. Draco gave Harry another kiss and then moved upwards so he could whisper into his ear.

"Are you not tired of just feeling me Harry? Do you want to see?" He asked Harry, feeling Harry shiver under him. He knew Harry loved when he whispered something into his ear, even more so when it was followed by his name.

"Yes." Harry half moaned, half whispered.

Draco sat up in Harry's lap and removed his school rope and shirt.

Harry started in awe at Draco's beautiful pale and well toned stomach and chest.

Draco saw the appreciation in Harry's gaze but couldn't help but to ask him. "Well?"

"Wow...All those years playing Quidditch has done you good Draco. You are...damn."

"Speechless are you?" Draco asked smug. "Let us see if you can get me speechless. Shall we?" He then bent over and helped Harry remove his own shirt. While Draco was pale on the point of looking like white marble, Harry was golden tanned. He had a similar body as Draco; both were lean, but well build and toned. Not an inch of fat to be seen, but their muscles were visible under the skin. Draco was only a few inches higher than Harry and it was clear he would never be as tall as his father, but Harry had more muscles and strength making up for what he was missing in length.

Draco stared at Harry's tanned chest, liking what he saw.

"Cat got your tongue?" Harry teased him but before he could say more Draco had launched himself at him, kissing him even more eager than before.

Harry responded just as eagerly and they started to touch each other exposed skin. Soon Draco started to follow his hands with his lips, kissing and sucking Harry everywhere he could reach, his chest, nipples, stomach, bellybutton, hips.

Harry moaned at the responses his body gave, a tingling feeling all over where Draco was touching and kissing him, and this kind of strange heavy feeling in his lower stomach. Then he felt something else. A stir lower than his stomach was. Now noticing that area of his body he felt something else. Something hard pressing against his thigh right around where Draco's crotch should be. He gasped as Draco moved to be able to suck his other nipple and their crotch brushed together, now feeling Draco's erection against his own.

As Draco had moved to be able to suck on Harry's other nipple he felt Harry obvious erect cock pressing against his own. He heard Harry's gasp when he clearly felt the same thing. Draco stopped moving for a bit. All there could be heard was his and Harry's ragged breathings. Draco moved his head upwards keeping it a bit from Harry's body. When he was at eye level with Harry he looked him in the eyes.

Like he was experimenting Draco moved his hips. Wriggling them. Harry gasped again, closed his eyes and automatically moved his hips. Thrusting them. Feeling Harry's cock against his own thrusting like that made Draco loose all control. He had promised himself he would take it slow since Harry had never even done this before. He thrust back harder and when it only drew a passionate moan from Harry and a thrust back, Draco repeated it. So did Harry. Soon they were thrusting against each other like mad men their bodies moving in unison. Eyes closed, not seeing anymore, only feeling.

Harry felt this heavy feeling in his lower stomach increasing and then before realising what was going on or being able to stop himself he was having the best orgasm he'd ever had. Only from him and Draco thrusting their fully clad cocks together. He came in his pants.

When Draco felt Harry coming he let go. He had wanted to come for a while but had wanted to last as long as Harry. He came too and then collapsed onto Harry. Exhausted.

Harry had his breath knocked out of him when Draco collapsed on top of him, letting his full weight lie on him, still it felt comfortable. They lay there for a while. Then Harry, moving really quickly, pushed Draco off top of him and sat up, his ragged breath started to slow down. He looked Draco in the eyes and he blushed deep scarlet, all of sudden getting shy and bit embarrassed by what they had just done.

Like reading Harry's thoughts Draco said. "It's all right Harry. This is what couples do. And you don't need to be embarrassed over this." He beckoned towards Harry's pants where an obvious sign of his climax could be seen. Harry's blush took on a new shape of red. "I'm in no better condition myself." Draco said and Harry noticed the shape of Draco's pants and that made him blush even more if possible. Draco stood up and did a cleaning spell on himself. He then did the same for Harry and sat next to him, trying to make eye contact and after a while Harry looked him in the eyes.

"I think." Draco said smiling a bit. "That you are adorable. Blushing like this. I lo..." Draco stopped realising what he was going to say and hurriedly changed it into. "I love that quality about you. You are still innocent enough to blush over things like this. I am not though." He again could almost read Harry's thoughts and added. "But I'm not saying this didn't mean anything for me, it did because this was our first time doing something like this. And that means everything to me."

Harry's blush faded away, he smiled, gave Draco a little kiss and mouthed "Thank you." Then he said aloud. "I'm glad one of us is not a total virgin otherwise we would not get anywhere."

"That is true." Draco admitted. "But as much as I would love to sit here and talk to you all night, I will be in ruins tomorrow morning if we do. So I think we should go to bed."

"Sleep with me." Harry asked him hurriedly.

"What?" Draco breathed out a bit shocked at Harry's forwardness all of sudden.

"You heard me."

"You want me to...?"

"Sleep with me...just sleep... for now." Harry blushed again over his own frankness.

"O.K." Draco stood up and held out his hand. Harry grabbed it and they went up to the seventh year boy's dormitory and spent the night together, sleeping in Harry's bed.

After that first really intimate moment between them, Harry and Draco could barely keep their hands off each other. They started spending almost every evening in the Room of Requirement, not risking another late night activity in the Common Room at Gryffindor. Every night they spent in Harry's bed, Draco sneaking over to Harry's bed after everyone was sound to sleep. The wards around Draco's bed made it impossible for them to stay there. Every day at school when they were at class together, eating in the Great Hall, or studying at the library they would sit together as closely as they could get away with or opposite each other. Holding each other's hands or playing footsie. But in their relationship bliss they were unaware that they were started to get closely watched.

"There is something going on with Potter and Draco." A deep, kind of thick, sounding voice said one late night in the deep, dark and damp Slytherin dungeons.

"No shit Sherlock, tell us something we don't know." A sarcastic girl's voice answered him

"They go almost every night into the Room of Requirement. Alone. So it's not DA again." Another girl's voice said who sounded a bit full of herself.

"They are acting like bestest buddies all of sudden. Either Draco has Potter really fooled or it's us that are getting fooled." Another boy said in a sneaky voice.

"I sent our Lord a letter, telling him this and in his answer back he sounded worried. According to Snape who has been reporting to him on Draco's behalf, Draco isn't getting a lot of information. Our Lord said that all of Draco's reports until this day say pretty much the same thing. The Golden Trio are not yet considered full members of the Order so they are not receiving a lot of information. And the information they do get, they do not share with him because they do not trust him yet. That doesn't match the information we have been giving our Lord that they look like good buddies. Draco might be acting but none of the Trio is that good of an actor. So the Dark Lord gave us orders." The full of herself girl voice said

"What are they?" The sarcastic girl voice asked.

"The time of only watching them is over." The full of herself girl voice said. "Our orders are to find out what is going on, with any means necessary. Our Lord suspects, based on our information, that Draco, even Snape might have betrayed us. We are to make sure if they have or haven't and when we know...for sure we are to report to him. Personally. Only then will we get further instructions." Pansy Parkinson leaned back in the armchair she was sitting in with a nasty smile on her face. "So our next move is to find out who Draco has been talking to recently, other than the Gryffindor Golden Trio and...pump...them for information." She looked at her fellow Slytherins. Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Theodore Nott all smirked in the most evil way, knowing full well what pumping people for information would involve.

TBC.

Kindly review and tell me what you thought.


	16. Valentine's Day

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(At long last) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG – 17. Attention this chapter is not suitable for those faint hearted or easily shocked.  
**Word Count: **5246  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. Smut. A lot of sexual activity. Consider yourself warned.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

**Author's note:** Sorry about the long wait everyone. I've been working like a motherfucker for the last week. I just recently got a job so I don't say no when I am asked to take extra shifts therefore I am working wwaaayy to much not giving me time to work on my stories. But thanks for your patience and here is chapter 16. What happens in this chapter? Read and find out I promise that you won't be disappointed.

snappy pants: Thank you for your review I totally agree with you I love these kind of stories where Harry and Draco are like this; I love you but I am a afraid but I really, really love you. Those are the best ones. I love angst.

thrnbrooke: Here is chapter 16 sorry for the long wait. And don't worry so much about Blaize. You will see.

Veracityrules: You are right to forgive is divine, and I am a wicked angel if you would ask my friend here on adultfanfiction crazyangel she will tell you.

Chapter 16 – Valentine's Day

Time moved fast for the lovebirds. Before they realised the time it was Valentine's Day.

Draco woke the morning of Valentine's Day.

It was Saturday, but since the seventh years had been allowed a day at Hogsmade in celebration of the day of love, the boy's dormitory was empty, except for him and Harry.

Draco looked over to where Harry lay by his side. They hadn't spent a night apart since that evening on the couch. They had done a lot of stuff together since then but hadn't yet gone all the way. Draco wondered.

"You usually jump me as soon as you wake up. What are you thinking about?" Harry said with his eyes still closed but clearly awake.

"_What am I thinking?" _Draco asked himself and before his brain could catch up with his mouth he had said.

"It's Valentine's day today. I was wondering if maybe we should have a date at the Room of Requirement tonight and then maybe..." Draco's brain finally caught up with his mouth and he stopped speaking abruptly.

"Draco" Harry said surprised. "I would love to have a date with you tonight. It's not like we can have one in Hogsmade like every other couple in Hogwart's. Even Ron and Hermione...wait and then maybe what...?" Harry asked when he realised the second part of Draco's question had been cut off.

Harry stared at Draco intensely and Draco felt to his horror a blush creeping up his cheeks.

"_You do not blush. You are a Malfoy."_ Draco heard his father's mocking voice say that in his head.

"I...I..." He stuttered.

"_Malfoy's do not stutter either. What is happening to you son?"_

"_I'm becoming HUMAN father."_ Draco's inner voice spat out. _"Now SHUT UP!!!"_ He ordered it.

"Draco you're blushing what were you going to..." Harry stopped speaking and Draco could see realization in his face. "...oh...you mean you want to... oh..." Harry said again and blushed a colour of red that made scarlet look like white.

"Forget it Harry...I should not have try and mention it, a date is enough. I promised we would go as fast or slow you liked to, I had no right..." Draco said apace.

"All right." Harry said quickly. "Let's...do it." And to emphasize that he meant it he clapped his hand together once.

Draco stared at Harry for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?" Harry asked alarmed.

"You...it is like we are planning the invasion of Normandy or going to play a game of Quidditch. Let us do this." And then Draco clapped his hands in the same manner Harry had.

Harry started laughing to and for a while the boys rolled around laughing at the ridiculousness of their conversation. Harry sobered up first turning serious. And when Draco saw his seriousness he stopped laughing too.

"But that is what you meant right?" Harry asked him. "You want us to have a date tonight in the Room of Requirement and then to have sex?"

"Yes." Draco answered honestly. "It is Valentine's Day and I just thought it would be perfect. A dinner and something and then we can...complete our relationship. It is not that it is not perfect already. I just want it to be even more perfect. We have already done most of the stuff one can do sexually...we only have the sex part left."

"Yes that is true. I might have sounded a bit too...I don't know masculine earlier with this whole let's do it part but I meant it. We should have sex. Tonight. A perfect date and then the perfect first time for me."

"For both of us." Draco added.

"What?"

"I told you once. My and Blaise only groped each other, wanked and kissed. We never had sex. I had sex with a woman once. But when it comes to guy sex...I am just as much of a virgin as you are."

"You mean everything we have done together except for kisses, wanks and gropes...you were doing for the first time too?"

"Yes that is right."

"But you were so good at it."

"It not like you had a comparison but thanks." Draco said flattered. "I have done some...reading."

"Reading? Where do you get books about these kinds of things?" Harry wondered.

"You would be amazed at what the school hides from us in the Restricted Section."

"Clearly." Harry said a bit shocked. "So you have been reading about having...gay sex?"

"Yes I have. It's fairly simple. Not a lot more complicated than straight sex. We just need to go slow and be careful...and preparation." Draco added as an afterthought.

"Preparation?" Harry asked.

"You will find out." Draco assured him and leaned in for a kiss.

The boys snogged in Harry's bed for another hour before going to the Great Hall for lunch. After lunch they took a walk around the lake. Enjoying the fact that it was a cold day, most of the school population were indoors in the warm Common Rooms, so they could have some privacy. In the afternoon they went inside and met up with Ron and Hermione who came from Hogsmade bearing a lot of bags and packages. They all went to the Gryffindor Common Room where Draco and Harry played a game of chess while Hermione and Ron snuggled in front of the fire.

When it was time for dinner Hermione and Ron got ready to leave for the Great Hall.

"You guys coming?" Hermione asked.

"No we are..." Harry lowered his voice. "...we are going to have dinner privately."

Realization dawned on Hermione's face. "Oh!" She said. "You boys have fun studying she said aloud and dragged Ron with him explaining to him in whispers where Draco and Harry were going and why they weren't going to eat dinner.

When they had gone both Harry and Draco said at once. "I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes."

"You first." Draco ordered Harry.

"All right" Harry said and went to get ready.

In an half an hour both boys stood dressed in their finest garments outside the Room of Requirement.

Harry was wearing black jeans that he had bought for himself so they actually fitted, black dress shoes made of leather, a dark green cotton shirt and over it he was wearing a new pair of cotton and silk combination dress robes, similar to the one Molly had bought for him before the Yule Ball in forth year, except lighter and sat better on his body, flask green colour that really brought out the colour of his eyes. He had managed to tame his hair a bit so it looked like it was ruffled on purpose and had put on a aftershave named Hugo Boss that Hermione had given him for his birthday along with a card that said "It's time you grow up a bit."

Draco was wearing his best pants made out of gray suede, matching grey boots made out of leather, a white silk shirt and a gray suede dress robes that match the pants perfectly. His hair was like always styled to perfection and he was wearing his really expensive Armani Diamond for men that he had bought in the Armani shop in London.

"Wait a minute." Harry said as they stood outside the door. "There is already a door here but we haven't told the room what we want."

"I did." Draco told him. "I went here while you were taking a shower."

"Draco that is so dangerous. You can't go like this on your own. What if someone has found out and is planning to hurt you." Harry said telling him off.

"Sorry, I just wanted this to be perfect. I talked to one of the house elves today when you were on the bathroom and asked him if we could have a special dinner. He arranged that and after I got the room ready earlier I called him and he set the table for us." Draco opened the door slowly revealing the Room and as they got in and Draco had closed the doors behind them Harry gasped and looked around stunned.

The Room of the Requirement looked completely different. It was big, but still smaller than Harry had ever seen it. Its usual stone walls were clad with drapes made out of silk in dark blue, green and red colours. There was a roaring fire in the rosewood fire place on the right wall keeping up the temperature. In the right furthest corner of the room stood a table made out of rosewood all carved out with pretty looking pattern with matching chairs. It was set for two, with dinner set made out of silver. On it stood the most delicious and expensive looking meal Harry had seen. There were candles in floating everywhere casting a really romantic, fluttering light over the room. The middle of the room was empty, making enough space to dance on and the floor was covered with huge Persian rug. In the left furthest corner there stood a four poster bed also made out of rosewood with the same matching pattern as the chairs and table. It was made with silk linen in dark blue, green and red, filled with pillows, the drapes around it half closed. On the floor in front of the fire place there were huge matching pillows instead of chairs. From somewhere a low music could be heard.

"I made a list of my favourite romantic songs and asked the house elves if they could get it played. And clearly they could." Draco said in a low voice.

Harry turned around a spark in his eyes and kissed Draco fiercely.

"You like it then?" Draco asked a bit shy by Harry's extreme reactions.

"It's beautiful." Harry said. "You are beautiful tonight, your clothes look great, your hair is perfect and you smell nice."

"Thanks I better smell nice this aftershave cost fortune." Draco thanked him. "You are beautiful too Harry. I thank Merlin you have finally started to wear clothes that fit you. You look really good in those ropes, they bring out your eye colour and you have managed to tame your hair a bit."

"Yes but don't count on me doing this all the time. It's a lot more work than I'm used to spend on my looks. But tonight it was worth it."

All of sudden Draco remembered his manners.

"Oh damn...eh...here." And he led Harry towards the table and dragged out the chair. "Have a seat."

"Thank you." Harry said as he sat down and Draco pushed the chair under the table and took a seat opposite him.

"What are we having?" Harry asked.

"Well first there is a lobster soup for entrée. Then for piece de résistance they're is a lamb fillet with red wine sauce, mixed vegetables and baked potatoes and French chocolate cake for desert." Draco said nonchalant.

"Wow I don't think I've ever had such an expensive food."

"Really?" Draco asked. "Well then there is a first time for everything."

Harry and Draco started to dine and between bites they talked, keeping their stress away by talking about non important things joking and just enjoying each others company. When the dessert came they had however fallen silent. Lost in their own thoughts.

Draco broke the silence first after a while.

"I eh..." and then he stopped not sure how to begin saying this.

"What is it?" Harry asked. "Hey can I maybe go first. I started thinking yesterday that we've been together almost two months. We started dating shortly before Christmas but we didn't give each other presents then because it was so short since we started dating. But now..." and Harry took out of his inner robe pocket a small, rather flat square packet. It was in silver wrappings with a green ribbon around it. "Here I want you to think of it a symbol of how much I like you."

"Thank you." Draco said dumbstruck and took the packet from across the table. He opened it slowly not wanting to rip the wrappings. The square was a box. Draco opened the box and inside it was a silver bracelet in the middle of it was sphere shaped green stone and to hold it in place the silver crossed over it forming an x and in it were tiny little white stones.

"It's an emerald shaped into the sphere and the little white stones are diamonds. It's so called urenlighed silver which makes it darker and not as shiny. Urenlighed means.

"That it has not been cleaned. Yeah I know." Draco stared at the bracelet. "This is the best gift anyone has given me. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. I also got the jeweller to put some charms on it. The sphere glows when danger is nearby and it also has some protection charms on it. But it just protects you from small hexes."

"That is a really smart. Wish I have thought of it."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.

"Here you are." Draco said and handed him a bit smaller square shaped box with red wrappings and gold ribbon around it. "I was being deliberate about the colours."

"So was I." Harry said and opened the packet. It also had jewellery in it. A silver necklace with pendant on it. The pendant was shaped like a drop with a blue opal in the middle."

"No charms or anything fancy like that. But the silver and blue is supposed to remind you of my eyes, when we are apart. Because sooner or later we are not going to be together every minute of the day and..."

"Yeah I realised that. That's the reason for the emerald in the bracelet." Harry said.

"I figured that much." Draco said in a low voice.

"But still thank you it's beautiful. I don't often get a present that is just pretty. Usually it's something to help my defeat Voldemort...

"Ouch." Draco said and grabbed his upper left arm. "Please Harry do not say his name around me."

"Why?" Harry asked.

Draco pulled up his sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark on his arm. "It burns when you say's his name."

"So that is why Snape always got his knickers in a twist when I said His name. I'm sorry Draco."

"It's all right." Draco said. They went quite and listen to the music. When _Feel_ with _Robbie Williams_ ended and _Save the Last Dance for Me_ with _The Drifters _started, Draco stood up and walked to Harry as he came next to him he offered Harry his hand.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked

"I can't dance." Harry laughed. "I tried at the Yule ball, I kept stepping on Parvati's toes."

"I will lead you don't worry." Draco said smiling.

"Then yes." Harry stood up and took Draco's hand.

Draco led him to the empty space on the floor. Draco took Harry's left hand in his right and put Harry's right hand on his shoulder blade. Then he put his left hand on Harry's waist.

"Now follow me." Draco said.

He took a step to the right, step forward, a step left and then a step backward. Harry followed. After a while Harry got it and looked up smiling.

"It is this simple." Draco said. "I will teach you something fancier later."

They danced on for a few songs staring into each other eyes. Not saying anything, but for the first time that night the silence was comfortable.

Harry moved his hand and touched Draco's left upper arm where the Dark Mark was.

"Does this hurt?" He asked in a low voice.

"It did first but it has healed now. It only hurts if He is summoning or someone says his name."

"It wasn't me intention to hurt you." Harry whispered.

"I know. Nobody outside the Death Eaters is supposed to know about this, so finally I have given you some information you can use." Draco whispered back. Then he leaned in for a kiss.

Harry responded as soon as Draco's lips touched his own. Their kiss was sweet and slow. When Draco brushed his tongue over Harry's bottom lip Harry opened his mouth and they deepened their kiss as they danced. All of sudden the back of Harry's knees hit something and the boys fell over. Right onto the four poster.

"I think someone is trying to tell us something." Draco said amused.

"Yes he is." Harry said thinking _"Stop meddling! We are doing fine without your help."_

"He?" Draco asked.

"It was him that was so eager that you stayed innocent right? Didn't kill him. He knew I could never become to like you if you had killed. He always knew everything. And meddled into everything.

"Dumbledore?" Draco asked his voice shaking a bit. "You know I did not want..." Harry stopped before Draco could start with his reasons for helping with the killing of Dumbledore.

"I know Draco. You've told me before. It is all right. I have forgiven you...for everything and I trust you completely."

"Me too. And do not try and tell me you never did anything to me. You know you did."

"Yes I did. We were quite the nemesis. Now kiss me." Harry ordered Draco and soon they were kissing again.

Harry started moving his hands under Draco's robes, tugging on it. Draco sat up and slowly removed it. Then he leaned over Harry and pulled his dress robe of him. They started undressing each other slowly. Buttoning down shirts. Pulling off shoes and socks. When they were bare feet and naked from waist up Draco stopped kissing Harry.

"I know it is a bit early to say this but I am an inpatient man when I am this close to what I want. It is no turning back now. Are you sure about this Harry?"

"I am."

"Good."

Then Draco zipped down Harry's pants and dragged them down. Harry lifted his hips so Draco could slide them all the way down. Harry did the same with Draco's pants. The boys where getting more inpatient now. They quickly removed each other's boxers and before they realised, they were laying, Draco on top of Harry, naked in the bed. They had given each other blow jobs but they had never taken off each other's clothes completely and for a minute they just stared.

"You are beautiful Draco." Harry said breaking the silence first.

"You are beautiful too Harry." Draco breathed taking in the sight of fully naked Harry.

Harry was as evenly tanned everywhere. He had really nice muscled legs and was really well made. His cock was rather big and thick.

Harry stared at Draco. He was build like a god. His marble white skin flawless everywhere, slim and with nice muscles. Draco had probably the longest penis Harry had seen. Longer than his and he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about. But Draco's wasn't as thick as his.

"You are like a god Draco. Not of this world. You are so beautiful." Harry said and kissed him.

Soon their kisses, until now rather slow and sweet, turned more heated. They started to move their hands over each other bodies and spread kisses on bare chests. Draco shifted on top of Harry and felt Harry's erection pressing his thigh. He moved himself so their cocks were pressed together and moved a bit.

"Please Draco." Harry begged.

"No. We are not doing this tonight." Draco denied him. He moved again and Harry moaned.

Draco thought hard for a moment and out of thin air a tube of lubricant appeared. Draco sat up in Harry's lap and took the tube. Harry looked at him as he did this. Draco opened the tube his hands shaking a bit on his fingers smoothing the lube over them. Harry took Draco's shaking hands in his own.

"Relax this is going to be fine."

"I read it can hurt especially the first time. That is why I am going to prepare you really well. I do not want to hurt you."

"You won't. I trust you."

Draco leaned back down and ever so slowly moved his hand downwards. He stroked them over Harry's cock. Harry shivered at the touch. Then he moved them backwards finding the hole.

"Ready?" He asked Harry.

"Ready." Harry said determined.

Draco kissed him hard to distract him and pushed his index finger slowly inside of Harry's arse. When his finger was as far in as he could he let go of Harry's lips.

"How is this?"

"It doesn't hurt. It burns a bit and feels weird."

"Can I continue?"

"Yes."

Draco kissed Harry again and slowly inserted a second finger. Before he could ask Harry knotted his head so Draco moved his fingers experimentally. Scissoring them.

When Draco moved his fingers he touched something inside Harry and all of sudden Harry saw stars. He moaned loudly and moved his hips thrusting Draco's fingers a bit further inside.

Draco smirked when he felt Harry's reactions, his arse clenching around his fingers. Harry moving and moaning.

"Found it."

"Found it...what? Harry breathed.

"There is a magic spot inside us that makes being a bottom totally worthwhile."

"It does." Harry said. "You need to feel this."

"Oh do not worry, next time we switch positions. And if I like it you might be stuck as a top permanently."

"We will see." Harry said. "But now Draco move." He ordered and Draco started moving and scissoring his finger. Every once in a while he hid the magic spot and soon Harry was moving against Draco's fingers. Draco added a third finger and stretched Harry as far as he could, but Harry didn't seem to mind anymore, until Draco decided he had prepared him well enough and withdrew his fingers.

"No" Harry protested disappointed.

"Harry can I..."

"Yes." Harry said inpatient.

"I am a lot bigger than my fingers this might hurt."

Harry had his eyes closed and was moaning, breathing loudly and wriggling beneath him.

"Do it Draco. I feel empty. Fill me. Please."

Draco moved Harry so his feet were resting on his shoulders. Then he positioned his dick over Harry's hole.

"Here it comes." He said softly and in one slow, long motion he buried his penis in Harry all the way to the hilt.

Harry felt himself being stretched and filled in one motion. He felt a slight burn but otherwise it didn't feel uncomfortable. He had thought it would hurt more.

Draco didn't move he leaned in and whispered in Harry's ear.

"All right?"

"Yes. The preparation worked. It doesn't hurt. A slight burn but I kind of like it. Draco?"

"Yes Harry."

Harry wriggled beneath him eagerly.

"Move."

And Draco did. He started to move slowly in and out of Harry. At first Harry enjoyed just feeling but soon enough he was meeting Draco's moves.

They had been moving at a slow pace for a while, their eyes closed when Draco opened his eyes and looked at Harry. His face looked like he was in a land that no one else could come to. His own place of bliss.

"_This is not just bliss it is ecstasy, heaven." _ Draco thought. He was starting to feel the heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach that meant he was close. _"I want to see his eyes when we come."_ Draco thought.

"Look at me Harry." Draco begged Harry. "You always close your eyes. Look now."

Harry opened his eyes and Draco was mesmerized.

Harry's green eyes looked like they were on fire, an emerald flame, reminding Draco of the Goblet of Fire, burning with passion.

When Draco asked Harry to open his eyes and he did Harry felt like he was looking into the Penesive, looking into floating or melted silver, a fluid...water. Floating on desire.

Green stared into silver. Burning and floating. Flame and fluid. Fire and water.

For a moment it felt like the whole world had disappeared and there was nothing left but Harry and Draco, staring into each other eyes. Reading each other thoughts. Understanding...everything.

Draco gasped when he realised what he was reading out of Harry's gaze, reflected there were the same emotions he felt for Harry.

"You love me." He gasped and the tightness and heat that came from being buried inside Harry overcame him. Draco came gasping and murmuring under his breath his own word of love to Harry.

Harry saw an emotion in Draco's eyes he had never seen fully before. Sometimes it had run through Draco's eyes when he looked at Harry. So short it was like a reflection in running water or a whisper in the wind. Now it was there, so intense in the silver eyes staring at him, that Harry couldn't control himself. He heard Draco gasp and murmur something and felt as Draco's essence started to pour into him.

"I love..." Harry breathed out and then that feeling of being filled became too much and he came too, without Draco or himself touching him during their lovemaking.

Fire and water. Never should those two elements mix together because they shall destroy each other. The water vanishing into thin air and the fire extinguishing.

Their world was destroyed. An empty dark void. For a moment neither Draco nor Harry could hear or see anything only feel. Feel the ecstasy pouring through them. Feel their bloods raze through their veins, their hearts beating like they had just ran a marathon and their skin tingling from the climax.

Draco had collapsed gracelessly on top of Harry after their climax. They lay there, Draco on top of Harry, motionless, only feeling each other.

Draco felt Harry's chest rise and fall under him, felt Harry's heavy breath on his skin.

Harry felt Draco's whole limp weight on top of him a bit too heavy for him. He lifted his hand and regretfully pushed into Draco indicating for him to get off. Draco felt Harry's push and heard Harry mutter.

"Too heavy, sorry love."

Draco's world came rushing back. _"Love...he called me love."_ He rolled off Harry. His now limp penis came out of Harry's tunnel. A bit of semen coming with it. He lay next to Harry and rested on his elbow looking at Harry.

"I should not have..." Draco started, looking at Harry "...come inside of you without a condom I'm sorry."

Harry had been laying their like a dead man.

"It's o.k. it's not like either of us has a disease. Since it was our both first time in this...situation.

Now Harry moved. Turning from his back to his side, opening his eyes and looking straight into Draco's eyes again.

"And yes Draco."

"Yes what?"

"I love you Draco." Harry said sincerely. "You asked me right before..." Harry blushed a bit. "...Before we..."

"Came?" Draco suggested.

"...came." Harry agreed blushing further. "I tried to answer your question but I got a little carried away. It was like...my world had shattered into pieces, but when it came back together you were the first thing I felt, saw and heard."

"I've heard people say that we are complete opposites." Draco said. "Different elements. That is how I heard someone describe, his feelings when he looked at us. Fire and Water. That person said that is why we did not get along. Those elements are not supposed to meet, they will destroy each other."

Harry stared at Draco wondering what he was on about.

"That person was wrong." Draco said fiercely. "We might be different elements. Fire and water probably describes us the best and I will admit...this love making really did destroy our worlds for a minute, destroyed us. But we came back, stronger than ever. We make each other stronger, and I love you too Harry."

Harry stayed silent for a while

"How long?" he finally asked

"Merlin only knows. But I realised it after...the end of last year. Admitted it during the summer to myself. You?"

"I'm not sure either. But I got a realisation on Halloween. Admitted it to myself that night...you know...on the couch."

"But you were not sure about my feelings, that is why you did not say anything before?"

"Yes. You can put on one hell of a mask when you want too. Didn't have a clue."

"I was afraid that if you found out too early... you would hate me. Especially since you still hated me when I knew for sure I loved you."

"So that day when you told me you liked me..."

"I loved you that day." Draco admitted. "I have loved you through us being enemies...on some kind of neutral zone and through our friendship and relationship."

"Wow..." Was all Harry could say. "I can't honestly say I've loved you this long. For the longest time I was so confused about how I felt that I..."

Draco shushed him. "I does not matter anymore. All that matters is that you know now and I know." Then Draco moved in and gave Harry a hug.

They cuddled for the rest of the evening. Half an hour before curfew they got dressed and left the Room of Requirement with regret.

"I want to stay there with you forever." Draco said as they came onto the hallway indicating at the now disappearing doors to the Room.

"Some other time we will." Harry said apologetically and gave Draco a kiss before they walked towards Gryffindor tower. Not seeing the person hidden in the shadows that had witnessed their kiss.

"We have the prove." Millicent Bulstrode said smug as she sat down in one of the armchairs in the Slytherin dungeons.

"Well then. Where is it?" Pansy demanded.

"In here." Millicent pointed at her head. "Use Occlumency on me." Millicent started laughing sarcastically when Pansy took up her wand. "Oh you are just going to Love this!"

Pansy did the spell and spent the next seconds staring into Millicent's eyes. Then she broke the spell and at first her face looked like she had broken her jaw, then the expression changed so it looked like she had eaten something really bad tasting. Finally it described pure rage.

"Draco Malfoy hasn't only betrayed our Lord and joined the enemy. He's fucking Harry Potter." Millicent said mockingly.

"He's going to pay for this." Pansy said more to herself then anyone around her. Then she shook off her shock and looked up staring at the group of people surrounding her.

"Tonight as soon as everyone is fast to sleep, we go to meet the Dark Lord and tell him the news off Malfoy's betrayal. Then we will do anything in our power to make sure Malfoy pays." She said her voice full of venom.

Everyone clapped their hands in agreement. But that was not an applaud of joy but one full of hate and vengeance. Not one person in that group had an easy time believing that Draco Malfoy had betrayed their cause, he had been their biggest supporter. The purest believer with the most extreme tenets. But that fact only made his betrayal that much bigger... so... his punishment would have to be terrible.

While everyone applauded with grim vengeance Pansy repeated.

"Malfoy is going to pay for this!"

TBC.

There are only 3 more chapters to go people. Reviews help me write faster. I love reviews. So review until you can't review no more.

Harry's pentant ./photos/1.

Draco's bracelet .

The rosewood bed .

I couldn't find a matching table and chairs like the bed. So just imagine it in the similar style.

The rosewood fireplace ./manage/gallery/trose%20wood%20overmantle%20(WinCE).jpg

The bed linings, also green and red .com/img/item/454/158/11/o_

The big pillows on the floor also green and blue .com/albums/n53/simonchan83/?action=view¤t;=

The Persian rug on the floor .

This is how I imagined the silk drapes on the walls also in red and blue .


	17. Exposed

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **(At long last) Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG – 13  
**Word Count: **5428 words  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **Language. Smut.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

Draco is exposed.

**Author's note:** The third last chapter. Quite exciting I think. Love to hear your opinion.

Chapter 17 – Exposed

On Sunday morning, February 15'th Draco and Harry woke up rather late. Both tired from the night before. When they came down to the Great Hall during lunch Hermione waved them over to where she and Ron were sitting.

"Finally!" She said as they sat down next to her and Ron. "I thought you were planning on sleeping all day, you didn't even come in that late last night."

"Maybe not!" Ron said sounding a bit embarrassed. "But they sure as hell stayed up in Harry's bed."

"How do you know that?" Harry asked a bit shocked. He and Draco had in fact continued their lovemaking in Harry's secure, silence spelled, locked bed, this time changing positions so Harry was on top.

"_I really liked that and Draco seemed to enjoy being the bottom maybe I won't have to change position with him again I hope not... Wait... did we put a silencing spell up?" _Harry thought. _"We were pretty excited when we got back up to the dormitory. We locked but did we..."_

"Oh damn." Harry said out loud. "We forgot to put on the Silencing spell!" He looked at his seatmates. Hermione was a bit pale, Ron had blushed furiously and Draco was smirking.

"This is not funny Draco what if someone besides Ron heard us you realise what might happen?"

Draco clearly realised it and his smirk died on his lips and he went pale.

"Don't worry." Ron said through clenched teethes. "When I woke up and heard you, I grabbed my wand and put up a silencing spell around your bed Harry. Everyone else was asleep so I don't think they heard anything. They would probably had said something if they did."

"Thank you Ron." Draco said, still pale as a ghost.

"Are you all right Draco?" Harry asked concerned. "You needn't worry, I honestly think someone would had said something already if they heard us. Just like Ron said."

"I am not worried" Draco said then he winced and grabbed his upper left arm.

"What's wrong Draco?" Harry asked.

Draco stood up abruptly and loudly, then he gasped, clearly in pain. His commotion had drawn some attention and the normally chatty Great Hall had gone silent people staring at Draco surprised.

"Draco?" Harry said now panicking slightly.

Draco's eyes widened and he stared at the wall in front of him, like he was seeing something no one else could. He had now gone beyond pale and was wobbling slightly. All of sudden he flinched and breathed out.

"He knows!"

Then Draco fainted, collapsing on the floor in the Great Hall.

"DRACO!" Harry screamed. Everyone started muttering excited, except for Harry, Ron, Hermione, the Teachers and Harry noticed, Draco's former mates in Slytherin. Claudia stood up and ran towards her brother kneeling next to him

McGonagall stood up and gave out an order. "Everyone is to go to their dorms straightaway and stay there until further notice. Prefects make sure everyone goes to their respective houses." Then she talked under her breath to the teachers, who left the Hall through the teacher doors, except for her and Remus. They came running towards Harry, Ron, Hermione and Claudia.

"What happened?" Remus asked as they to a halt came next to the Trio, Claudia and Draco.

"He got all pale and winched like he was in pain. Then he grabbed his upper left arm rushed up and said "He knows!" Then he fainted." Hermione quickly explained.

"He said, he knows?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes!" Harry half screamed. "Bloody fucking hell!"

For once McGongall didn't remind him on language. She went pale and gasped. "Severus! Oh Merlin help us. He was called to a Death Eater meeting this morning. You Know Who wanted a report on his and Draco's process. He must have known then."

The Trio, Claudia and Remus just stared at her.

"Wake Draco up quickly." She ordered.

Remus dragged out his wand and did a spell that woke Draco up from his faint.

"What happened?" Draco asked confused. Then he remembered and stood up. "He knows!" He said again.

"We know Mr. Malfoy." McGongall said dryly. "We are going to your mother's quarters. Hurry up." Then she turned and walked out of the Great Hall.

The rest of the group followed soon Draco asking.

"Why are we going there?"

"Because that is where Severus has flooed to, after every Death Eater meeting recently. If he is back he will be there."

"Why?" Draco asked

"He and your mother are friends."

"Is he at a meeting now?"

"Yes and if there is anything to go by you fainting it is not going to well. Let's just pray he's there."

After five minutes they were in front of the painting to Narcissa's room. McGonagall gave out the password and stormed in, everyone following her.

Narcissa clearly surprised at seeing all this people stared at them a bit surprised and asked.

"McGonagall what is going on?"

"Is Severus back?"

"No but the meetings often take a long time and..."

"He knows." McGongall interrupted her.

"What?" Narcissa said shocked.

All of sudden the fireplace burst into green flame and through it fell a very bloody, beaten up and ragged Severus Snape the fire went normal again and Snape in a violent cough fit managed to choke up few words.

"He knows!"

"We know." McGonagall said and getting her suspicion completely confirmed, her frown disappeared and she looked really old. She sat down into Narcissa's couch and covered her face in her hands muttering.

"Remus fix him up." Pointing towards Snape.

Remus drew out his wand working it over Snape muttering spells under his breath. Narcissa stared at this in shock and when Remus had finished to fix Snape, Snape managed to sit up, still on the floor, and lean against one of the arm chairs. She asked Snape.

"How?"

"Evidently the Dark Lord had been suspicious for a while. Finding it peculiar that my and Draco were receiving so little information despite being very close to the people in the inmost circle of the Order. Then Pancy Parkinson and most of the other seven year Slytherin's came to him, telling him they had a suspicion that Draco wasn't as loyal to Him as it seemed. Telling Him about that how friendly Draco and the Trio looked, even too friendly for it to be an act. The Dark Lord got them to spy on Draco. Last night Millicent Bulstrode was spying on Draco and saw him and Harry come out from the Room of Requirement. Looking rather dishevelled. And then she saw them kiss. And even as thick of a person as Millicent drew the conclusion that if Draco was snogging Harry Potter then he had clearly turned from the Dark Lord's believes. She told Parkinson and the rest about this and they drew the same conclusion so did the Dark Lord. Then he called me to a meeting. I showed up and realised something was wrong. Everyone was there. And to make a long story a bit shorter, they tortured me, then The Dark Lord interrogated me using Legilimency and now he knows. Everything. When he knew this, I thought he would kill me. But he got Wormtail to watch me and left muttering something about treachery being punished. I passed out and when I woke up again escaping from Wormtail was pretty easy." Snape finished his story breathing out and then saying. "The only thing I don't get is Miss Bulstrode claiming to see Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter kissing. It's absu..."

"It is not absurd." Draco interrupted him. He had been standing next to Harry through Snape's story and now he grabbed Harry's hand. "My and Harry are a couple. Have been since shortly before Christmas." Draco looked his mother in the eyes. "I love him and he loves me."

Harry could see Remus smiling, McGongall looked amazed, clearly not seeing this coming, Snape's mouth was open in surprise and Narcissa looked a bit terrified.

"Your father is going to go insane. You are his only heir, the last Malfoy Male. You are supposed to continue the family line. How are you going to do that if you are gay?"

Draco was going to say something back when a tap on the window could be heard. Outside of it a raven was flying, a letter and a package tied to his leg.

"What now?" Narcissa said and ran towards the window and opened it. She quickly unfastened the letter and package, the raven flew off.

"Who on earth uses a raven to transfer the post?" Harry asked Ron, Hermione and Draco.

"Dad told me once." Ron said. "That no animal can bear being near the Dementors. Except for ravens, they are so closely connected to Dark Magic that they can handle Dark Magic Creatures. And since Dementors have watched Azkaban since forever, Azkaban uses ravens instead of owls.

Narcissa had read the inscription on the envelope and now she said.

"Draco it is for you."

Draco walked to his mother and took the envelope and package. He ripped the envelope open and took out the letter reading it hurriedly. For the second time in half an hour Draco went as pale as a ghost.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked.

"Well mother." Draco said his voice sounding tight like he had to force it through a lump in his throat. "You need not worry about Father going insane when he finds out about me being gay. This is from Azkaban. Voldemort paid it a little visit a few hours ago. He broke out his few followers left there. Then He went to father's cell and apparently He told father about my treachery, before torturing him, brutally for almost an hour and then He killed him. Father is dead." He said sounding emotionless.

Narcissa gave out a low yelp and then she started crying, sounding grieve stricken. Snape stood up and took Narcissa into his arms, shushing her, soothing and given her low words of comfort. Claudia stood there like in shock.

"Father." she said in a low voice.

Hermione saw that Claudia's shock was wearing off and she grabbed her in a hug whispering.

"It's going to be all right. Everything is going to be O.K."

Claudia started crying silently into Hermione robe.

Draco kneeled on the floor and opened up the package he had received from Azkaban along with the letter, taking out its content, looking at it silently.

Harry kneeled next to him on the floor. "What is this?" he asked Draco.

"It's my father's personal belongings. The things he had on when they arrested him. He knew they were coming for him you see. So he put on the family cloak, had the family ring with our family signet on and of course like always had his cane, also carried through generations of Malfoys." Draco stood up like in a trance, took his things and walked towards what Harry assumed was a spare bedroom in Narcissa's quarters. He was going to go after him but Ron took his shoulder shaking his head.

"Leave him for a while. Some people need to be alone with their grieve. We can check on him after a while."

Narcissa's cries had subdued a bit and she pulled herself out of Snape's arm.

"The fools we have been. We honestly thought we would get away with betraying the Dark Lord. We were so confident that we had tricked him that we were not careful enough. And now he knows. And my dearest Lucius is dead." She looked at the other people in the room. "You might have a hard time believing this but I really did love him once. When we met in Hogwarts he was a charming man. Throughout the years he changed but I kept on loving the man he used to be, it did not matter that he cheated on me and I had a love affair. Did not matter that he treated my horribly afterwards. It was not until the Dark Lord returned that I saw him as the monster he had become. When the Dark Lord returned, his behaviour got far worse and finally I saw. I was honestly glad when he got arrested. I hoped that Azkaban might turn him into the man he used to be. But now he is dead."

"You are fooling yourself Narcissa." Snape said. "He was only charming in front of you. So he could snare you as his wife. Lucius Malfoy was and has always been insidious, scheming, sneaky and overall a cheap person. The world is a better place without him."

"You should not speak ill of the dead, uncle Severus." Claudia snapped at him.

"And lying about his person is better?" Snape asked her.

"No I suppose you are right." Claudia said.

"He is right." Narcissa said. "But despite his nature he was loved by his family. He will be grieved. But now..." Narcissa turned to McGongall.

"What will happen now?" She asked McGongall.

"Well The Dark Lord has revenged the treachery up to a point, but no traitor has gone off betraying him this easily. He can't touch you, Claudia or Draco but now he must be planning a bigger revenge soon. With our only spy exposed we know nothing about what he will do and there is nothing we can do until he makes his move, only wait. The media is probably going to find out about this soon about your son's and Snape's treachery and about Lucius's death. You should expect letters Narcissa, and they are probably not going to be pretty. So should you Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall said and upon not seeing Draco she asked.

"Where is Mr. Malfoy?"

"He eh..." Harry began.

"We will fetch him." Hermione said. "Come on." She said to Harry and Ron and together they walked to Narcissa's spare bedroom.

Hermione knocked and opened the door.

"Draco?" she asked then her eyes widened in shock then she gasped and put a hand over her mouth.

"What is it?" Harry asked then he saw what Hermione was staring at and for a second he thought he had seen a ghost.

On the opposite side of the dim lit room a man was standing in front of a mirror staring himself in the eyes. He had a long blond hair, he was wearing the Malfoy family cloak on his left ring finger he was wearing the ring with the Malfoy family signet and in his right hand the familiar cane with the Snake head. On the bed there was an abandoned wand. That man bore a striking semblance to Lucius Malfoy.

Hermione removed the hand from her mouth whispering. "Lucius Malfoy? No it can't be you are dead."

Harry was staring at the man who looked almost like Lucius. Then he noticed that the person was a bit shorter than he remembered Lucius and as the light fell through the doors on the persons face Harry saw facial features that were similar to Lucius but not the same and that were familiar to him.

"Draco?" Harry asked in a low voice. The only reaction he got that Draco stopped staring himself in the eyes and pointed his eyes on their reflections behind him in the mirror.

"What are you doing?"

"Everyone has told me for years that I am exactly like my father. His clone. If I was a bit taller and had longer hair we would be almost like identical twins. I wanted to see if they were right so I put this clothes that he wore when he was arrested, the cloak, the ring and put my wand in his cane. That is his wand." Draco explained and pointed at the wand on the bed. "Then I lengthened my hair using a spell and looked in the mirror. I looked for quite the long time and after a while I was not sure if it was me or my father's reflection staring back at me. Then you came and I knew. I am just like my father. In every way. So I should follow my family's tradition. I do not know if you know this but there have not been men in the Malfoy family for century's that have not either been a dark wizard or followed one. Also a Malfoy man has not died a natural cause since the 14'th century. They have either been killed or committed a ritual suicide when realising they would die in a matter of minutes or hours. And no Malfoy has ever betrayed the dark wizard they followed so spectacularly or gone so far on the good side. At least not one that is mentioned in the family story books. Every Malfoy who ever had a trace of kindness in him was usually out casted from the family and all trace of him ever being alive erased from the family story. That should have been done to me. But I am the last Malfoy. There is no one else left. My mother is only a Malfoy by the name and my sister is not a real Malfoy. I am it. So I should follow the tradition. I cannot outcast myself from the family. According to tradition you cannot quit being a Malfoy, another Malfoy has to outcast you. So the only thing left...is to die...young...murdered...like my ancestors. "_The traditions have to be followed Draco"_. My father used to say. _"The day we stop following the Malfoy traditions we stop being Malfoy's."_ Draco stopped looking at the mirror, turned around and looked them in the eyes and Harry could see tears in his eyes. "I am a Malfoy. Traditions have to be followed. I am going to call my Lord and floo to meet him. He can then kill me and I will have followed the tradition. Maybe even join my ancestors without feeling shame."

Harry just stared at Draco. He didn't know what to say. Draco had clearly lost it. On his left side he could hear Ron mutter.

"He has lost it. Bloody hell."

To Harry's surprise Hermione stepped forwards and slapped Draco. Draco winched and seemed to wake from the trance like state he had been in.

"Ouch. Why did you do that for?" He asked rubbing his cheek.

"Tradition? Die young? Summoning You Know How? Let him kill you? WHAT THE FUCK DRACO?" She screamed.

"What?" Draco asked alarmed by how furious Hermione was.

"That is what you were talking about. You went on and on about your ancestors. About them dying young and you should follow the tradition and that you were a Malfoy and blah blah blah. I've actually read your family story books. The ones that have been published. And what I've learned from them is that ultimately what you Malfoys care most about is self-preservation. And that won't be any of that if you kill yourself. So snap out of it."

Draco shook his head a bit confused then it seemed like he remembered what he said in that trance of his and he shook his head again. Then he smirked and started half laughing half crying lowly.

"He has lost it." Ron muttered.

Harry rushed forward and hugged Draco and Draco sobbed into his shoulder.

"I hated the bastard for how he treated me and everyone around him. I should be glad the world is finally rid of his presence so why do I feel like this? Why do I go around talking about committing suicide and generally just saying stuff that sound like the brainwashing bullshit my father used to force into me when I was younger? Why Harry?"

"I think it is natural that you should grieve for your father even if he wasn't the nicest to you. He was your father after all and I think that you always hold a special place in your heart to your parents even if you never knew them or if they treated you badly. I also think it was the shock of knowing your father is dead. Your brain in the shock automatically looks up the things you know best. And you have told me more than once and more than twice that you did learn your father's brainwashing bullshit by rote although now you are trying to forget it."

Draco broke the embrace and dried his face.

"You know what Harry? I think you are right. But now what I need to do is to snap out of it!" He said and Hermione blushed a bit.

"Sorry about that." She apologised.

"It is fine Hermione. I had a little mental break down there for a minute but I feel a lot better. And know I really need to take these off because I think when I put them on my father possessed me." Draco gestured at his father's clothes he was wearing. "If you will maybe give me five minutes I will be out there in a second."

The Trio left the room and after couple a minutes Draco came out still looking a tad bit paler than usual otherwise fine.

"Finally Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall said. "I was just telling your mother that you should all expect a pretty rough couple of next days. When the Daily Prophet finds out about this you will probably get a lot of hate mail and hopefully some non-hate mail too. That also extends to you Harry."

And McGonagall was right. The next day the Daily Prophet posted the whole story, terribly accurate and of course written by Rita Skeeter. Almost everything that had happened since before Dumbledore's death was revealed there, from Snape and Draco's treachery, to his and Harry's relationship and even Claudia's identity and Narcissa's affair was mentioned and in the end Skeeter of course doubted that Draco had turned from You Know Who and even suggested that he had Harry under the Impero using Harry as his sex slave. The responses were immediate. Owls started raining in over Harry, Draco, Narcissa and even Claudia. In the evening right before dinner, three days later the Trio, Draco, Claudia and Narcissa were sitting in Narcissa's parlour at her quarters, going through and burning the letters.

"Damn!" Draco said desperate. "When McGonagall is right she is right. Check this out." and then he read out loud.

_"You are an evil bastard that should rot in hell just like your father. I do not believe it for one second that you have turned away from You Know Who. If you have any dignity you will take the Imperius curse of Harry Potter and stop forcing him to be your sex slave_. This person clearly read Rita Skeeter's article letter through letter." Draco took up few more letters. "They are almost all like this. _Die you little ferret die. You slimy two faced git. You should rot in Azkaban. Hopefully our Lord will punish you severely. You will beg for death when the Dark Lord is through with you._ Some of them sound like the person writing them asked you for an advice on how to insult me Ron." Draco said smirking at Ron.

"Sorry I just guess a lot of people feel the same way, like I just to feel." Ron said.

"Well they are not all negative." Hermione said."Here is one addressed to Harry. _I believe your boyfriend has seen the error if his ways and turned to the light side and when you look at his family history it is an achievement, really. What he did before doesn't matter anymore. He has redeemed himself for planning to kill Dumbledore with not doing it and then joining the light. I am glad on your behalf for finally finding someone to share your life with and it looks like he generally loves you. Congratulations. _But that is one of the few ones I've come across."

"Mine are pretty much the same. People are begging me to break free from the Imperius curse. Few are congratulating me. But those are really few." Harry claimed.

"Mine are mostly people congratulating me on not being genetically related to the Malfoy's and now I should change my surname and deny my family and then maybe I can be accepted into the good and normal magic society." Claudia said quietly.

"You should not be reading those." Narcissa said harshly and took the letter Claudia had in her hands and threw it into the fire. "You should just burn them right away."

"I am not Harry. I am not just to receiving fan mails all the time. It is kind of fun reading them." Draco said as he opened one. He frowned Harry noticed and then he looked like he got furious.

"You all right amour?" Harry asked him using Draco's secret pet name that was French for love. They had started doing this the day after the article came out, so they could call each other pet names more freely around other people after discovering that few people in school spoke any French, without risking people harassing them for showing affection in public.

"No I am not all right but thanks for care chéri." Draco said using Harry's secret pet name that was French for darling.

"French Draco really?" His mother asked him.

"Well we are French originally." Draco spat out.

"What is wrong Draco what did the letter said?" Harry asked him wanting to know what had gotten Draco so pissed off.

"I do not have anything against people calling me names but it is too much when they start attacking you, mother and Claudia." Draco said furious. "This is it!" Draco stood up abruptly and rushed to his mother's spare bedroom. He came out after two minutes fully dressed in his father's clothes, wearing the cloak, carrying the ring on his finger and holding the cane.

"Draco what?" Harry asked.

"Come on all of you." Draco ordered.

"Draco what are you going to do?" Narcissa asked.

"I am ending this bullshit!" Draco said and he rushed out of the door of Narcissa's chambers. The others quickly followed him and they made their way in haste towards the Great Hall.

In the Great Hall dinner was on full time and most if not all of the student and teacher population was there. When they came to the closed door of the Hall Draco used a spell that threw the doors magnificently open. When the doors banged in the wall the Hall went dead quit. Draco stormed in, his robs billowing behind him giving him a resemblance to Snape. Followed by Harry, Hermione, Ron, Claudia and last Narcissa, Draco walked fast between the House tables. Everyone was staring at him. When he passed the space in the Gryffindor table where he and Harry usually ate and saw the letters waiting there for him he took his wand out from the hollow in his father's cane and yelled. "Incendio!" The letters burst out in flames and few of the students screamed. He came to the teachers table at alarming speed and instead of stopping in front of it he jumped up on the teachers table and did another spell that send all the food, dishes and other small things in the Great Hall flying.

"MR. MALFOY!" McGonagall screamed outraged.

"Now that I have got your attention." Draco said in a loud voice looking over the Hall, He then looked at McGonagall and said. "Sorry about this professor I just need a few minutes then I will behave." McGonagall was so flabbergast that she waved her hand probably indicating for Draco to go on. "Now that I have got your undivided attention I would like to say few words. First of all. Sorry about your food. It was just in case if someone had not noticed my entrance and letter burning. Second of all I assume that most of you have either read or heard about the Daily Prophet article. I want to tell you know that most of it is true. But not everything. I did have a part in planning Dumbledore's murder and he did know about it and therefore did not put up a fight to protect himself from being killed by Snape. He was dying anyway. I also, like it is put in the article, "Saw the error of my way." And went to the Order. Everything said about the plan was also true." Draco looked over at the Slytherin table and stared at his former friends when he said the next words. "I have in fact turned from You Know Who and joined the light side as it is generally called. That stuff about the secret Order of the Phoenix is true. I went there for protection and so on and so forth. Well to make a really long story short, then most of the article is true. Someone on You Know Who's side gave Rita Skeeter the information and he got all of it from You Know Who whom again got it from Severus Snape through torture and Legilimency. Since Snape has been in the middle of things he knows most of what has been going on. Forthly. My and Harry are a couple. And no he's not under the Imperio." Draco heard someone snort in the Hall. "I can prove it." Draco said and took out his wand. "Finite Incantatum! How do you feel chéri?" He asked Harry.

Everyone's attention turned to Harry. Harry realised what exactly Draco was doing. This might not turn the opinion of the whole Wizarding World but at least it would make life bearable for them in school. Harry shrugged and said. "The same amour. What do you know I wasn't under the Imperius curse fancy that!"

Then he went and started climbing on the teacher table. Draco gave him a hand and pulled him up. When Harry stood there next to Draco holding his hand Draco continued.

"Finally." And he lifted up his left sleeve revealing the Dark Mark. A gasp could be heard from the students and even from some of the teachers. "I never wanted this!" Draco said looking over the Great Hall. "He would have killed my mother and sister if I had not done His bidding. I did not have a choice on planning Dumbledore's murder. This was maybe something that would have wanted in the past. But for the longest time now. Four years to be exact I have pretended to support You Know How. Kind of did not have a choice. You might remember my father. A bit taller than me, looked like me, only had a longer hair, used to wear these clothes, a huge supporter of You Know Who. Well if I would have stopped pretending I supported the Dark Lords Ideas he would have killed me." People in the hall started muttering. "You heard me. My own father would have killed me. You have no idea how corruptive it is supporting the Dark Lord. All trace of humanity disappears after few years. I did not want that, and I also did not want to die. So I lied for years." He looked at Hermione. "Self-preservation some might call it, and I do. Then when the change rose. When I saw a way out I grabbed it. It came a bit too late though. I was already marked. But I sought the Order of the Phoenix out, told them my story and they believed me. Harry Potter YOUR SAVIOUR!" Draco screamed. "Your saviour believed me. And now we are together. You might think. _He swished sides once what is to stop him from doing it again? _I will tell you. My place is next to the person I love." Draco turned away to the audience and looked Harry in the eyes and said loudly. "And I love you Harry Potter." Then he kissed Harry hard. Harry responded eagerly, happy to finally being able to express his affection in public.

The Great Hall was silent and people watch amazed as Harry Potter clearly not under any curse let alone the Imperio kissed Draco Malfoy happily. Then someone started applauding. Soon another person chimed in, and another, and another. Soon most of the Great Hall was applauding some people whistling.

Harry broke the kiss slowly and smiled at Draco whispering.

"I think they believe you."

Draco smiled at him back, already looking forward of stop receiving "fan" mail.

"I think you are right."

TBC

There are only two chapters left people. This is almost over. If you liked this chapter review. If you hated it review. If you thought something might have been better done review. Just review people, I want reviews. I like them a lot. Look the button is right there. *Point's at the review button*

. The Malfoy family coat of arm which is also the signet on the family ring that looks like this /images/I/41-M9h3QGiL._SL500_AA280_.jpg the signet also has the words S'ils te mordent, mords les which is French and means If they bite thee, bite them.


	18. War

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG –17  
**Word Count: **9022  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **In Progress.  
**Warnings: **StrongLanguage. Smut. Slash (which should have been a warning from the beginning but I'm so stupid sometime I didn't realise it *blushes*). Violence. Character death (don't make this stop you from reading, please I promise it isn't as bad as it sounds)

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

**Author's note:** . I need to confess something. This is the last chapter in this story that is directly linked to the story line. Chapter 19 will be an epilogue. Thanks so much to everyone that have read and/or reviewed.

Chapter 18 – War

Draco opened his eyes. He sat up in the bed and looked around. Harry was sleeping quietly beside him and everything was silent in the dorm room. The time being 1'clock on school night it wasn't wonder. Draco pulled away the curtains around Harry's bed and stepped barefoot on the cold stone floor. He walked to the window and looked outside on the finally clear grounds. This past week the weather had warmed up so the snow had all disappeared. The moon casted it silvery shine on the environment making it look mysterious and magical.

Draco shivered. He wasn't cold but there was something about the full moon that gave him the creeps. Normally he wasn't afraid of the full moon like some superstitious people but now...

"_Something is wrong."_ Draco thought. _"It is like I am supposed to remember something but what?"_Draco wondered and for a while he stood there staring out the window. Then like a ghost from his past he saw, flashing before his eyes, a memory. A man sitting in a throne like chair. A man with white face, red snake like eyes and no nose. Voldemort. He was saying something. What was it? Draco closed his eyes trying to focus on this fluttering memory. What was he saying? Draco concentrated. Then like when you press the mute button on a remote for a second time he heard what Voldemort in his memory was saying.

_I'm going to use Obliviation charm on you so you will forget everything I've told you about the plan. But when it's time to carry it out you will remember everything and will be able to help, that is if you will still be free men. "_

Draco's eyes snapped open and he got goose bumps all over. The plan. The Dark Lord's plan. He remembered the plan that he and Snape were supposed to be involved in, the plan Voldemort had told them about and then used some kind of Obliviation charm on them so they couldn't rat about it if they got arrested by the enemy. They were supposed to remember it when it was time to carry it out. That meant.

"OH FUCK!" Draco screamed. He ran to his trunk and started pulling on random clothes, not caring for once about his looks. While pulling on his pants he screamed on the top of his lungs.

"WAKE UP…WAKE UP…WAKE UP!!!"

Soon the tired and raggedy heads of his dorm mates could be seen sticking out from the curtains. When Harry stuck his head out and saw Draco half way through pulling on a dark blue Kashmir jumper over black jeans.

"What's going on love?" Harry asked Draco.

"Hurry up!" Draco urged the rest of the boys who were simply staring at him jumping around pulling on his socks.

"It's one o'clock in the night Malfoy." Seamus said. "You must have looked at the clock wrong we are not late for class or anything."

"I know that bloody, motherfucking, bleeding, buggering hell DAMN IT!" Draco screamed.

Hearing Draco curse this much got Harry worried. Draco didn't curse a lot and when he did, he usually only used damn it and bloody. Something was wrong. Harry jumped out of his bed, thankful he had managed to put on his boxers before he and Draco fell asleep earlier that night, walked up to Draco and put a firm hand on his shoulders while Draco was putting on his sneakers. He pulled Draco up so he was at his eye level and asked him calmly.

"Draco! Take a deep breath and tell me. What is going on amour?"

Draco took a deep breath said.

"Last year after me and Snape had…" Draco swallowed the lump in his throat. "Had escaped Hogwarts… that night… you know?"

"Yes I know." Harry said calmly. "What about it."

"We went to Him and told Him the news. When He had used Occlumency on us to make sure we were not lying to him I got…marked. Afterwards He wanted to talk to me and Snape in private."

Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach. What had the bastard done to his boyfriend?"

"What did he do Draco? He didn't?"

Draco realized what Harry was talking about and his eyes widened.

"Merlin no Harry!!! Nothing like that. Let us not go there. Anyway…" Draco said and went dead serious. "He told us about this plan He was working on, and Harry you know I would have told you but after he told us about it he used an Obliviation spell on us that made us forget. It was in case if we got arrested so we could not spill on the plan. Even if the Ministry or the Order used Veritaserum. He told us right before he used the spell that we would remember this when the time came to carry out the plan so we could come to Him and help out. I just remembered this. The time to carry out this plan is now. He was probably going to do it sooner than later but I think He must have lunched it sooner than even He estimated because of me and Snape's treachery."

"And what is the plan Draco? He told you something about it right?"

"He did." Draco sighed and a worried frown formed on his face. "His plan is to attack Hogwart's, comprise it and kill everyone here that stand against him and of course to kill you. It is the beginning of the end Harry. The final battle. He is going to have His headquarters here and attack the whole Wizarding World from here. When He has finished taking over Hogwart's and killing you He is going to take over the Ministry of Magic. Then with whole Wizarding Britain under his control he's going to move on to…well…the whole Wizarding World."

"Oh…bloody…hell." Was all Harry managed to say before the doors to the boy's dormitory were burst open and in came McGonagall and Snape.

"Everyone get dressed now!" McGonagall ordered. "Voldemort is going to attack the school soon."

They didn't have to be told twice. Seamus, Dean, Neville and Ron all started to get dressed in a hurry, literally throwing on their clothes.

McGongall stopped in front of Harry looked at his state of clothing and said.

"Potter really."

Harry blushed a bit and Draco who walked quickly past McGonagall to grab his wand from Harry's nightstand table snorted and said. "Just be glad Voldemort did not decide to launch the attack two hours sooner. Then you would not say anything about Harry standing there in his boxers.

McGonagall blushed scarlet when she knew what Draco meant and said.

"Well just get dressed Harry and grab your wand. All of you!" She ordered. "Then come down to the Great Hall. The rest of the staff is already waking up everyone. The oldest students, if they are prepared, will fight with us. That is the fifth to seventh years. Members of the Order or on their way. The Ministry is being alarmed but it might take them awhile to get here."

"What about the rest of the students?" Harry asked. "The little one's? How about evacuation?"

"No time I am afraid. Everyone are being awaken like I said and they are to get dressed and have their wands at a ready. When the fifth to seventh years that are willing to fight with us have left their houses dormitory's the younger kids are to barricade the entrance not to let anyone in unless they give them a special password that is to be used under these circumstances. The prefects are also staying in the dorms. They are in charge of their houses populations and are to protect them until the bitter end…if everything goes the worst way. Otherwise until their Head of House comes to them."

"All right." Harry said as he started to pull on his cloak almost dressed. "What is the plan otherwise?"

"Otherwise?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes." Harry said then added. "I am dressed should we go?"

McGonagall looked around and saw that everyone were dressed and ready.

"Yes let's go."

As they started to walk and everyone in the sixth and fifth years in Gryffindor joined the group down to the Great Hall Harry said.

"What I meant is… what you told me is mostly how the people not taking part in the battle are going to protect themselves. But what are we going to do? The people taking part in the battle."

"Everyone that is willing to fight is to come the Great Hall. Once there I am going to put up and activate every single defense this castle and its grounds have. And that is not so little. Once Voldemort and his army are here it should take them a while to get through the fences and get on the grounds. Then they still have to get into the castle. And by then we hopefully will have some reinforcement from the Ministry.

"That is this?" Draco asked sounding upset. "Barricade us inside the castle like…sardines in a tin. Hoping for reinforcement?"

McGonagall turned on Draco.

"What would you have me do Mr. Malfoy?"

"Fight! Go out on the grounds and meet them…like men. Not barricade us inside the castle like scared little…"

Now McGongall got aid from an unlikely place. Snape turned on Draco hissing.

"Don't you tell her what to do! You have never fought a battle in your life. You do not have a clue what you talk on. We are maybe four dozen grown up's. If everyone in the Order show up and if we are optimistic and assume every single fifth, sixth and seventh year in all the houses come and fight with us then there will be little over 450 of us. Most of it children in the age of 16-18 who barely know the basics in a wizarding duel and have never fought a battle in their life. Voldemort does not only have around 500 of fully grown, fully trained Wizards in his service who most have seen battle before or least trained for it, but he also has werewolves, giants, trolls, vampires and Merlin knows what else. These are only his allies that I knew of last time He told me about His army status. He might have gotten all manners of Dark Creatures in his services since then. So in conclusion he has probably an army of around thousand persons. And to make matters worse…" Snape pointed out the window. "…the moon is full. Which means that we loose Lupin, he cannot fight because in this state he would fight against us. But Voldemort has all his Werewolves in perfect state. Full bloody moon state. And not to mention that the Vampires are always a bit more powerful on full moon and most so are most other Dark Creatures. So do you still want to go out and fight Draco hmm?"

Draco was flabbergast and all he managed to stutter was

"Oh."

"Yes oh . Our only hope is that the Ministry can send reinforcement in time and that they will be able to attack Voldemort and his army from behind, then we can charge them from the castle and close them off between us."

"I am sorry to say Draco…" Ginny had been walking quietly with the group but now she made her presence known. "…that Professor Snape is right. We do not stand a chance. But if they manage to brake into the castle." Ginny's normally pretty facial features got tough. "Then we will fight to the last man. There is no shame in that."

Ginny said that as they walked through the doors to the Great Hall and her last words which she had spoken rather loudly echoed through the hall. Most of Hogwart's fifth, sixth and seventh years were there and Order members were coming in through the fireplace behind the teachers table. When the people gathered there heard Ginny's last words there was an applaud. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came to the group and Mr. Weasley said.

"Well put Ginny. But you are not fighting honey. Neither is you Ron."

"Yes we are." Both Ginny and Ron said at the same time.

"I am staying with Harry. He is my friend. I've stood by him through…well…almost anything. I admit that sometimes I've turned by back on him when he needed me most. But not now. If you do not want me to fight then you will have to force me to." Ron said stubbornly and then he drew up his wand and pointed it slowly at his parents. "But I will have to warn you… I will fight you. You are my parents and I love and respect you. But you are not denying me this."

Ginny didn't know how to make her argument after such a fine speech and simply said.

"Yeah precisely. What he said. I am not leaving Harry and hiding somewhere not knowing what is happening to him or you. You two are here. There is Fred and George. Bill's over there and Charley…"

"Is on his way." Mrs. Weasley said.

"So is Percy." Mr. Weasley added. "We had a talk a few days ago and made up."

"I'm glad." Ginny said her eyes filling up with tears. "Please mom and dad do not ask me to not fight when everyone else are. Look around you. Almost every single person from the Order is here. So are all the fifth, sixth and seventh years from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Please do not send me away?"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked each other in the eyes and a silent agreement passed between them. Mr. Weasley sighed

"All right but I am not happy about this. But you make strong arguments. Just…be careful both of you. All of you." He said and looked at all his children Fred, George, Bill had walked over to them and Charley and Percy had both joined the group after flooing in just a minute before.

"Your mother and me couldn't stand loose any of you."

McGonagall had left the group to start putting out orders. The other Gryffindor's had joined a group under Flitwick's control that was teaching a really quick lesson in a Wizarding Duel, most of the student population in the hall was participating in it. Order members were running around following McGonagall's order's barricading the castle and getting ready for battle.

The Weasley's, Hermione, Harry and Draco were standing in a group now. Harry and Hermione saying hello to the part of the Weasley family they didn't see every day. Draco on the other hand got really self conscious when he realized he was standing with the whole Weasley family. The people he and his father had made a sport out of taunting throughout the years.

"Eh…Harry…I am going to…" he whispered to Harry but didn't manage to whisper low enough and Bill who was standing next to him now noticed him.

"Oh hello. I do not believe I have met you before are you a friend of Harry's? You look kind of familiar though…"

This got the attention of the rest of the Weasley's and when Percy, Fred and George noticed Draco they got a really cold look on their face."

"Shit." Draco cursed under his breath.

"Well you should now him Bill." George started to say.

"That is the son of our family's favorite friend." Fred said sarcastically.

"You met him once in Gringotts, told us all about it." George continued.

"Called him if I am not mistaken a snobbish too rich for his on good schmuck that deserved to be…what was it again? Bill you remember."

"That deserved to have a pile of his money crash over him and squash him under it." Bill finished the sentence for his brothers. "You are Lucius Malfoy's son aren't you?"

"Bingo, we have a winner." The twins said giving Draco an evil look.

Draco didn't know how to get out of this respectfully. Then he decided that getting out of a situation respectfully was something his father used to do. It was time to end this hostility between the Malfoy's and the Weasley's. Draco sighed and mumbled

"I cannot believe I am doing this but what the hell…" Then he said out loud. "Yes I am. Draco Malfoy." He stuck out his hand to greet Bill. "Nice to meet you. I am sorry but I am not familiar with your name eh…?"

"Bill…" Bill said suspicious.

"Ah yes the spell breaker for Gringotts. Then you must be…" Draco turned his attention to Charlie trying to dig up his name from his memory. Draco had had a conversation with Ron once asking him about his family. He had decided a while ago that if he had the opportunity to get in to the good books of all the Weasley's at once, he would. Since the Weasley's were the closest thing Harry had for a family, then it would mean a lot to Harry if him and the Weasley's could get along. "Charlie right? Still working with dragons in Rumania?" Draco asked and Charlie knotted his head not sure what to make of this. "Then you must be Percy?" Draco said to Percy. "I remember you being a student here but you are employed with the Ministry of Magic now. Then there are Fred and George. I do not know which one of you is which, but I have had my fare share of your Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes… things. And of course I know Ron and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley… I had a conversation with in the end of August last year which I assume you remember?"

"I do." Mrs. Weasley said. "And I stand by what I said then."

"I know you do Mrs. Weasley." Draco said politely. "And then last but not least. The head of the family." Draco turned to Mr. Weasley. "I know you of course. You, with the Ministry department that you work at, invaded the Manor once when I was ten then again when I was twelve. I got to hear a lot about you and your family after you invaded the Manor the first time. And for the longest time what my father told me about you then, was what I thought about you. One sentence stuck with me and I used it the first time I met one of your family in person." Draco drew a deep breath knowing he might be asking for a beating _"____All the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford. That was the first thing I said to your youngest son when I met him. Later I said a lot of other things, to him, Ginny, Percy even Fred and George the few times I had the guts to, a lot of them worse than this. I even made a song." Draco saw that Fred and George clearly knowing about the song were getting pretty angry. Mr Weasley was getting dangerously red around the ears. Draco knew he would get beaten up soon if he didn't get to the point. "I think your wife might have told you about it."_

_"__Yes she did." Mr. Weasley said angry and Draco saw that his hands were clenched to a fist and were shaking._

_"__Before you beat me up." Draco said hurriedly. "And I know I deserve it. Let me tell you this first. I am sorry Mr. Weasley. I asked your wife for her forgiveness once and, well first she did not know what I was talking of, then she yelled at me for a while but then she told me that she would not forgive me until I had apologized to your children and they had forgiven me. I have already gotten that forgiveness from Ron and Ginny." Draco looked at Ron and Ginny and they knotted their heads to agree with that. "But now I ask the rest of you. Fred, George, Percy, even Charlie and Bill all though I have never seen them before, for your forgiveness. And you. And again I ask you Mrs Weasley will you forgive me? I am sorry for what I did for your family and I want this hostility between my family, the Malfoys and yours the Weasley's to end. Seeing as how my and the boy you consider part of your family are in a relationship then it would be nice if we could get along." Draco ended his speech and thought __"Why does it seem that I do not do anything else these last months than making speeches and asking people to forgive me? This is getting real old. Thankfully these are the last persons that I need to apologize to. So this part of my life is over."_

___Before Mr. And Mrs. Weasley or any of their sons could answer Draco, Ron said._

_"__He is being sincere about his apologise and I think you should forgive him. My and Ginny have. And honestly just that he is apologising is a miracle all by itself. He is a Malfoy after all and I think this family animosity has gone on for long enough. Wasn't it our grandfather and his great-grandfather that started it?"_

"It was." Mr. Weasley said. "And if my wife and children are ready to forgive you then so am I." Mr. Weasley looked at his kids. Percy knotted his head first. Then Charlie and Bill followed. Finally Fred and George looked each other in the eyes, some silent conversation going on. Finally the twins sighed dramatically and said in unison. "All right since you and our brother in spirit are an item."

Mrs. Weasley smiled and said. "All my children forgive you. Then so do I."

Draco smiled relieved and held out his hand for . Mr. Weasley took it.

"Our families' riots are officially over."

"Thank god." Harry said and took Draco's hand in his own. "Imagine Christmas dinner in the future if you hadn't settle this."

Everyone laughed and the tension subdued. Charlie, Bill, Percy, Fred and George all went to take part in the preparations for the upcoming battle and Ginny went to professor's Flitwick's group to learn some basics in a duel.

"So..." Mrs. Weasley said when only her, , Ron, Hermione, Harry and Draco were left standing. "...Rita Skeeter wasn't lying in her article when she said that Slytherin girl saw you two kissing and that exposed Draco as a traitor?"

"No Mrs. Weasley." Harry said a bit worried. "You mad?"

Mrs. Weasley chuckled. "No am I glad that you finally have someone. Even if it's a Malfoy. I am happy for your both. Well Arthur, let's go help out. Do they know when they are planning to attack?" She asked the Trio and Draco.

"No." They all said.

"But soon." Draco added. "I can feel the signal to join Him getting stronger." He grabbed his arm.

"I see." Was all Mrs. Weasley said and then she grabbed Mr. Weasley and they hurried away to help. Mr. Weasley all of sudden looked like he remembered something and ran back.

"Oh damn Harry I almost forgot. Which would have been terrible. We found the third last Horcrux. It was here in Hogwart's...Ravenclaw's diadem." Then Mr. Weasley went away to help.

"Those were useful information but what are we supposed to do now?" Ron asked.

"Well it is obvious Ron." Hermione said slightly annoyed by her boyfriend's stupidity. "We need to help Harry figure out the prophecy so he can kill Voldemort."

"And the snake. Don't forget the snake." Ron added.

"He will have power the Dark Lord knows not." Harry said slowly. "I have wondered about these words a lot. Clearly these powers are the thing that is going to defeat Voldemort but I just don't get how?" Harry whined desperate and hid his face in his palms. "How is love going to defeat Voldemort?" Harry mumbled.

Draco hugged Harry and whispered in his ear.

"I know how?"

Harry looked up.

"You do. But you don't even know about the prophecy.

"Yes, Hermione told me a while back. She figured you had not told me about it yet."

Harry looked at Hermione and she had the good grace to blush.

"Hermione!" Harry said a bit angry. "My prophecy, mine to tell, remember?"

"Sorry just thought he should now." She said embarrassed.

"All right so you know." Harry said to Draco. "Tell me."

"No." Draco said smug.

"What?" Harry, Hermione and Ron said all at once.

"Why won't you tell him?" Ron asked

"Like he so rightfully pointed out. His prophecy. He should figure it out. But I am going to give you clues. First one the power the Dark Lord knows not is in fact love. But you have another power the Dark Lord knows not. I know what it is and that is the power that is going to defeat Him."

The Trio stared at Draco at lost for words. Draco looked at Hermione and said.

"Remember what we talked about when you told me this? That Voldemort did not understand love. Well there is another thing that Voldemort knows of but he does not respect it, and father used to say that if you do not respect something then you inadvertently underestimates it, that is what Voldemort does with this power. He looks so down on it that he...well he wants to destroy it."

"You are seriously not going to tell me are you?" Harry asked surprised.

"No I am not." Draco said

"You FUCKING twit!" Ron screamed. "Voldemort might come any second now and you refuse to tell us."

"It is not mine to tell." Draco said.

"I don't get it." Hermione said to herself. "What does he mean?"

Harry didn't say anything he couldn't believe his boyfriend wasn't going to help him

"Bastard!" Ron spat. "You Slytherin's are all alike. None of your housemates have shown up and you, the only Slytherin in this room, also refuses to help."

"What are you on about Ron?" Draco asked

"Look around Draco." Harry said all of sudden. "Everyone are wearing their school cloaks and there is not a silver and green to be seen anywhere."

Draco looked around and realising Harry and Ron were right he got really mad.

"Those fucking cowards." He said with clenched teethes. "Not even all of them support Voldemort. They are clearly just going to suck up to whomever wins. Is this how the..." Draco stopped he was so angry that he didn't know what to say. He thought about this and then knew what he had to do.

"I have to go." He said.

"Why?" Harry asked and switched his anger for worries about his boyfriend.

Draco started walking towards the entrance of the Great Hall.

"We need every person we can get. Most of the older Slytherin's can fight. I am going to get those people here."

"How" Hermione asked stopping for a minute wondering about Draco's earlier words.

"_I cannot believe I am going to have to do this once again." _Draco thought half desperate half amused.

"By doing what I do best Hermione. Have a bloody speech and make them see that fighting for us is the right thing to do. I might quote Dumbledore's speech that he held at the end of fourth year." Draco was almost at the doors and before he left the Hall he said.

"OH...one final clue about the prophecy. First clue was that the power is not love. Second clue, it's a power he doesn't respect therefore he underestimates it. Third and final clue, he used to know this power. He grew up around it but he hates so much he has forgotten about it. Think Hermione where did Voldemort grow up?"

With those final words Draco left the Hall.

"Oh I see!" Hermione said and it was like a light bulb had been turned on. "Of course this is so obvious once you figure it out."

"What Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Where did Voldemort grow up?" Hermione asked him

"An orphanage."

"Yes but what kind?"

"I do not know. With nuns?"

"No Harry! Where was it?"

"London."

"What part of London."

"I don't know."

"Common Harry don't be so thick."

"Dumbledore told me he was raised up not knowing he was a wizard. So Muggle part of London?"

"YES! Harry O.K. This power. It is a power he does now of or he used to anyway. When he was a part of the Muggle world. But when he found out he was a Wizard he stopped respecting the Muggle world. He started to despise it. If you don't respect something you often underestimate it like Draco said. What do you do if you do not respect something?

"You are not going to tell me either are you? I don't know Hermione?"

"No I am not. Let's say if you didn't respect something what would you do?"

"Nothing I guess. I wouldn't count it in, it wouldn't exist to me."

"Exactly Harry. Good job. Now tell me why you think you can't defeat Voldmort with magic."

"Well because I don't know enough magic to do it and every spell I know is definitely a spell he knows and I bet he knows a counter spell to it or has a shield to protect him from it."

"Right you are. No tell me, would you protect yourself from something didn't exist to you?"

"You can't protect yourself from something you don't know about that is just stup..." Harry began then he went silent and his crew wide. "Hermione! Power he knows not is a power he doesn't have a defence against. He grew up in the Muggle world. He used to know it but now he hates it, therefore disrespects it and underestimate's it. You don't have a defence against something you don't think of. And he doesn't think anything about Muggle's...muggle stuff. MUGGLE WEPONS." Harry screamed on the top of his lungs. "Power he knows not. Love and Muggle weapons. I remember something from history that some wizards got killed early on with guns because magic shields couldn't block out guns."

"And professor Vector in Muggle Studies told us they still can't. Nothing magical can protect you from gun bullets."

"I can defeat Voldemort by shooting him." Harry said.

"There are some guns in the Muggle Studies room professor Vector showed us them when we were learning about Muggle Weapons, he even demonstrated by shooting one bullet in a target he had a really strong shield around." Hermione told him

"We need to get one." Harry said.

"Then let's go and get one." Hermione said determined.

When Draco had left the Great Hall he had ran towards the dungeons. Now he stood outside the Slytherin entrance and was thinking.

"_How am I going to get in?"_

Then he looked down on his Gryffindor gold and red cloak and drew out his wand. He did a spell that changed the Gryffindor cloak to a Slytherin one.

"_Better be dressed right otherwise they will not listen."_ Draco opened his mouth and yelled

"OPEN UP!!!"

From the other side of the wall someone asked.

"Who's there?"

"IT IS OVER WE HAVE WON. NOW OPEN UP!"

The wall to the Slytherin dungeons opened up and Draco walked in. He came in and looked around the whole Slytherin house was gathered in the Common Room and were looking at him. He saw surprise in the look of most, no one had expected him.

"Who won?" One of the younger kids asked.

Draco looked at his former house mates with disinclination.

"No one. The battle hasn't even begun." He saw out of the corner of his eyes a group of people with Pansy in the lead who were going to pull out their wands. Draco twisted around and drew out his own wand.

"I wouldn't do this if I were you Pansy." He said to her calmly. "I have always been able to win you in a duel." Then he ignored her and kept on going.

"You are all cowards. Every single one of you. You were going to hide here and wait for whoever would win this battle and suck them up so you would not get killed or send to Azkaban were you not? Do not answer me I know you were going to do this."

"It is called self preservation Draco." Pansy interrupted him. "And if I am not mistaken your family has always been a big fan of it so has you."

"Well I have changed. And you do not know me as well as you think Pansy. The only self preservation I did was to lie to you all. Pretending for years I supported the Dark Lord. I even lied to myself. Do not think I betrayed you all of sudden out of a whim. The truth is I have not believed in what the Dark Lord teaches in years. I pretended to because otherwise I would have been killed. Yes Pansy self preservation. But it did not do anything for me. It let me on the wrong track. The track to this." Draco pulled up his sleeve revealing the Dark Mark. "It turned me into a servant I did not wish to be. Do you have any idea who humiliating it is to bow and surrender yourself to someone else? That is what I had to do when I got this mark. I had to become the Dark Lords servant. No, servant is not even the right word. Slave. Because that is what you become. You have to follow his every order, every whim and if you Do not obey or manage to fulfil his order he kills you and throws you away like you are a piece of trash. That is what he did to my father when he could not fulfil his orders two years ago. He allowed my father to been thrown into Azkaban. And my father served the Dark Lord loyally for years. Then He killed my father. Not because of what he did but because of what I did. Because I turned from the Dark Lord. And I do not want this same fate for me. I do not want that fate for any of you. I do not want to see the once great house of Slytherin bowed to the dust. To become submissive slaves to a..."

"Our Lord." Pansy interrupted again. "Is the last heir to Slytherin, we as true Slytherin's own him our loyalty and..."

"OUR LORD!" Draco yelled to get the attention away from Pansy. "Isn't even a pureblood. His father was a muggle."

People in the room gasped in surprise.

"Our Lord..." Draco spat. "...our Lord's real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle His father was a rich Muggle heir that His mother, who was insane because of inbreed in the family, was in love with but could not get. Her brother and father were also insane. Our Lord's family inbreeded throughout the century's so they wouldn't thin out the great Slytherin blood. That left the whole posterity insane. Pride left them poorer than the Weasley's... _"Sorry what has to be done."_ Draco apologized to the Weasley's in his head." ...because our Lord's ancestors were too proud of their heritage to work. Finally our Lord's mother used a potion to get our Lord's father in love with her. When she got pregnant she took the potion off him because she was crazy enough to think he might love her for real and he left her. She gave birth to our Lord and then she died. Her brother and father were both in Azkaban for a while. Her father died there and finally her brother unable to take care of himself starved to death after he was released. So the final descendant was put in a Muggle Orphanage where he grew up went to Hogwart's when he turned eleven, soon showed he was just insane as his ancestors. The Slytherin blood is inbreeded and finally adulterate, insane and done for. Harry Potter will defeat the Dark Lord and what will you do then?"

No one answered him. Even Pansy was so stunned by this information that she didn't know what to say.

"Is this the man you want to serve? Slytherin blood or not? Self preservation, slyness, scheming all those and more ill words has been used to describe Slytherin but I think it is time we change that. Do we really want to be considered the bad house in Hogwart's forever. The house no one wants to be sorted in. Tell me how many of you did not want to be sorted here?"

Around ninety people raised their hands but Draco could tell a lot of people weren't raising their hands because they were afraid. "At least some people are honest that is a beginning. Let us speak the home truth now... pure blood is over... there are maybe two dozen Wizards families in the world that can truly say that they are Pure Bloods. But there are lot more families that can call themselves evil, sly, self preserving and that...not the pure blood...that is how people are sorted into Slytherin now a days. If the sorting hat was still only sorting Pure Bloods in to Slytherin then there would be five persons in this house. And now it is time for a change. We should stop living in the past. Screw pure blood, screw self preservation and screw the Dark Lord. He is sailing under false pretences anyway. Let us change how the world looks at the once great house of Slytherin. And I say once because what you are doing right now hiding like cowards...if Salazar Slytherin could see you he would turn in his grave. Dumbledore once told us that when the time would come, we would be able to choose between what is right and what is easy. Let us stop choosing the easy way and start choosing to do what is right and then we can truly call our house great again. I have chosen to do what is right. It was not easy but it was worth it. I found the love of my live. Imagine what might be awaiting you. Now choose." Draco ended his speech and looked at his house mates who were still staring at him.

"_Where do I come up with these speeches? I swear to Merlin this was the last one."_

Pansy stepped forward. "Draco I am not one hundred percent poor blood. When He finds out I am dead. I thought if I served Him well enough He might overlook it but now I know he won't. I am with you." She went and stood next to Draco. Soon others followed and before long most of the Slytherins fifth, sixth and seventh years were standing next to Draco. In fact there were only four persons that didn't join Draco. One fifth year, one sixth year Theodore Nott and Millicent Bulstrode.

Draco asked them

"Are you two going to wait here or are you planning to join the battle."

"Self preservation mate." Nott said. "I am not risking my arse for Harry Potter or the Dark Lord."

"Fine then, your choice. Do not open up for anyone unless he gives you the secret password. Even if that person yells _"we won open up"."_ Draco said. "You are Slytherin's for Merlin's sake do not be so trusting. Let's go." He said to the rest of the Slytherin's joining him and they went to the Great Hall.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were back in the Great Hall after breaking into the Muggle Studies room and finding a gun. Now they stood next to McGonagall, Snape and other Order members and were explaining their discovery.

"A gun?" McGonagall said for the fifth time. "A gun? You are going to kill the greatest Dark Wizard alive with a gun?"

"Yes he is." Hermione said. "We are sure about this, it is going to work Professor."

"For our sake's I hope so." McGonagall sighed "Now. Everyone gather around I am going to tell you how we are going to fight when Voldemort manages to brake in..." McGonagall started to say and everyone circled around her.

"Professor you are not going to start without us are you?"

Everyone turned around as Draco walked in the Great Hall with what looked at first sight like almost all of Slytherin's fifth, sixth and seventh years. The Slytherin's joined the group of people gathered around McGonagall. Draco walked, feeling rather pleased with himself, up to McGonagall and said

"I brought you some reinforcement. One hundred and three of them to be correct. There were four that did not want to join us."

McGonagall looked at the Slytherin's and asked Draco.

"Are they sure they won't turn on..."

"I am sure." Draco interrupted her, and then said a bit louder. "If any of you Slytherins betray us I swear to Merlin I will return from the grave and hunt every single one of you with vengeance. You got that?"

"Yes sir." The Slytherins said.

"I lay some ground rules on the way here." Draco told McGonagall.

"Right then." McGonagall said. "This is how we are going to do this. When Voldemort and his army manages to break in we will fight, everyone...take out as many of the enemy as you can..."

"Eh...professor." Ron interrupted "May I have a word with you."

"We are running rather thin on time Mr. Weasley." McGonagall all but hissed.

"I know professor but..." Ron walked up to McGongall and started whispering in her ear. After a minute he had stopped and McGongall looked up.

"I like your plan Ronald. We are going with it. Explain it."

"M...me?" Ron stuttered

"Yes you."

"O.K." Ron said unsure not used to getting the attention from so many people "So...eh...here is the plan."

Half an hour later Voldemort and his army were outside the gates of Hogwarts. Voldemort, with the snake at his feet, started at the Gates and the Castle beyond it and spoke.

"Go and examine the defences. Brake them down if you can, otherwise I will." He ordered a division of Death Eaters.

The Death Eaters went to the gate and soon returned.

"The gate is open my lord and the defences are done. We can walk right in. The whole Hogwarts' is asleep."One of the Death Eaters said

"We will catch them unprepared. Asleep." Voldemort said a cold smile dancing across his lips. He ordered the army to advance and soon the whole army was standing outside the entrance doors to the castle. Voldemort did spells and the doors opened quietly.

"You wait outside." Voldemort ordered the Dark Creatures in his army. "We go in." He told his Death Eaters. They walked slowly up the steps, the snake slithering before them, and came inside the dimly lit Entrance Hall

"We should split up and each take one of the Houses my lord." One of the Death Eaters suggested.

Another whispered to him. "I don't like this, my Lord, this is too easy."

Before Voldemort could answer either of them, all lights got turned on and before anyone on either side could think half a thought the battle was under way.

Ron's plan had been really simple, an ambush. Make Voldemort think he was going to win this war easily. Allowing his and his army to come all the way inside the castle. Then attack them. Everyone was to fight in pairs and take out as many of the enemy as they could.

All lights had been turned off and the extra ward's taken down so Voldemort could get in more easily all except the wards that were going to stop Voldemort and his army for reaching further inside the Castle but the Entrance and Great Hall. When the group, scattered around the Entrance Hall heard the footsteps outside the castle Draco whispered to Harry.

"You are going to have to kill the snake first remember that. Don't let Him see you until you have. Use the gun."

They heard the doors open and footsteps moving up the stairs and inside the Entrance Hall.

"Draco." Harry said. "If we don't..."

"Do not say it Harry." Draco asked him "I love you mon chéri." Draco mouthed as the heard one of the Death Eaters say something in a low voice to Voldemort.

"I love you amour." Harry mouthed back.

Then the lights were lit and Harry was gone looking for the Snake. The battle became fierce almost right away.

Draco looked around and everywhere he looked he saw Order members and students in pairs fighting with two to four Death Eaters. He saw Dark Creatures coming through the doors and joining the fight. Draco scanned the room looking for one particular person. And there he was...Voldemort looking around like he was trying to find someone.

Draco stepped away from the wall, walked towards Voldemort and yelled over the battle roar.

"You looking for someone?"

Voldemort saw him and smiled that cold smile that gave Draco the creeps.

Draco turned and ran into the Great Hall, thinking about getting Voldemort as far away from Harry as he could.

"_I just need to hang in there long enough, for Harry to kill the snake." _Draco thought as Voldemort and ten of his closest Death Eaters followed him inside the Great Hall. Then Voldemort casted the Cruciatus curse at Draco. When it hit Draco he yelled and collapsed on the floor.

Draco couldn't think. It was like he was being ripped apart cell by cell.

"_How can anyone handle this?" _Draco thought through the pain.

Voldemort and his Death Eaters surrounded Draco. Voldmort lifted the curse and Draco tried to rise up but fell to the floor again.

"Oh...the poor...little...faggot!" One of the Death Eaters, a women, said and took of her mask.

"Aunt Be..." Draco started to say but Bellatrix yelled at him maniacally

"You are NOT...related to me. You traitor! Can we play with him my Lord?" Bellatrix asked Voldemort.

"Not before I am done with him." Voldemort said coldly and raised his wand again.

Harry ran around the Entrance Hall holding the gun. Dodging curses, Death Eaters and Dark Creatures looking for that snake.

_"Where is that Merlin damned snake?" _Harry thought and the thought had barely escaped him when he saw the Snake. The heart sank in his chest. The snake had cornered Fred and was preparing to bite him. Harry ran forward and pointed the gun at the snake's head. As the snake got ready to strike Harry pulled the trigger and as soon as the gun shot was heard the Snake was lying on the floor...dead. Half his head had blown off and Harry could see a dark smoke rising through out of the body vanishing in thin air.

_"And then there was one."_ Harry thought grimly.

"Wow..." Fred breathed. "That was close...I was sure I was a goner. Thanks for this Harry."

"Anytime" Harry said smiling and as he watched Fred running back into the battle he saw into the Great Hall. He saw Voldemort and his Death Eaters surrounding someone who was lying on the floor. Then that person tried to get up and Harry saw a flash of blond hair. Harry watched as Voldemort casted a curse at Draco and Draco clearly reaching his limit passed out.

"Draco...NO!!!" Harry screamed and started to fight his way towards Voldemort standing in the Great Hall. When he got close enough for Voldemort to hear him he screamed.

"I will kill you for touching my boyfriend you bastard."

Voldemort turned his head and looked at Harry. He laughed and then he yelled making his voice louder with magic.

"Everyone stop fighting. Or do you want to miss the final battle between the Great Lord Voldemort and the Boy Who Lived.

Both sides stopped fighting and everyone gathered in the Great Hall.

Harry barely noticed this, he had hidden the gun in his cloak sleeve and was looking Voldemort straight in the eyes.

When everyone had gathered around them Voldemort said in a low voice that still was heard throughout the Hall.

"Now watch."

Harry looked around and saw Ron and Hermione standing next to Bellatrix and a Death Eater that hadn't taken of his mask. To occupied in watching him and Voldemort to notice whom they were standing next to. Everywhere he looked he could see the faces of his family and friends. Draco was lying unconscious on the floor, Mrs. Weasley had managed to drag him outside the circle and was tending to him.

Harry looked back at Voldemort as he raised his wand over his head.

As quick as the wind Harry drew out his gun and fired one shot. Watching as the bullet hit Voldemort in the chest. Watching as Voldemort gasped, his wand falling from his grasp, watching as Voldemort went down to his knees, feeling his chest and looking at his blood covered hands Voldemort asked.

"How?"

Voldemort looked up and Harry smiled bitterly waving the gun slightly.

"Power the Dark Lord knows not. Muggle weapons...guns. There is not a magic shield in the world that can protect you from it." Harry spat and pointed his gun at Voldemort again.

"That one was for my parents."

Harry fired the gun the second time hitting Voldemort in the chest again.

"This one's for Sirius."

Voldemort started laughing. "You can't kill me." He coughed. "I have made myself immortal."

"Oh you mean with your Horcruxes right?" Harry asked him.

Voldmort eyes widened comically.

"Sorry... we kind of destroyed them all." Harry said and shot the gun for the third time hitting the chest.

"And this is for everyone else you have ever killed. Now die you evil bastard." Harry finally said and as Voldemort drew his final breaths on this earth, Harry saw that He had realised all of his Horcruxes were in fact gone.

"No..." Was Voldemort's last word, as He fell to the floor dead. His body dissolved right away leaving nothing behind

Upon seeing their Lord killed the Death Eaters one by one surrendered, dropping their wands to the floor and getting down on their knees, hands in the air. The Dark Creatures all ran from the Great Hall.

Before anyone could do or say anything a big commotion could be heard from the fireplace in the Great Hall and people started to floo through it.

"I guess these are our reinforcement from the Ministry. McGonagall said breaking the silence. She walked to the people standing next to the fireplace looking at the scene, and started explaining everything.

The next half an hour Ministry officials, Order members and even student's were busy cuffing the Death Eaters. In an hour every Death Eater had been put in custody and were to be trialled soon. The Second War against Voldemort was over. The victory of the Light was complete.

When every Death Eater had been moved away Harry finally managed to find Mrs. Weasley who was still trying to wake up an unconscious Draco.

"I will take care of him Mrs. Weasley thank you." Harry said.

"Oh Harry." Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry. "Congratulations. You won. This is over."

"We won, Mrs. Weasley. I think you should look for your husband and children now." Harry said to her

"Oh Arthur came to me. They are all fine. Almost everyone are. We lost some but, and I know it is ugly to say this, none that we know...thank god. But there are still some families that lost their children." Mrs. Weasley sighed. "But no wars are won without sacrifices I am afraid... Now I am going to look for them. Arthur said they would be over there." And with that Mrs. Weasley left Harry and still unconscious Draco.

Madam Pomfrey came over to them and did a quick diagnosing spell on Draco.

"You wake him up Harry he is fine." She said hurriedly and told Harry the spell, bustling away.

Harry bent over Draco and took him in his arm. He did the spell as he whispered in his ear.

"Draco... it is over. The war is over..."

Harry smiled as Draco opened his eyes.

"And we won." Draco stated.

"How did you know?" Harry asked as Draco started to get up and Harry grabbed his arm to help him.

"Well first of all..." Draco said as he got on his feet but still needed Harry to support him. "We would not been having this conversation if we had not won the war. Second I would not feel this way if I am dead. Man the Cruciatus curse is a bitch."

Harry chuckled and said.

"I love you so much Draco Malfoy."

_ "I am going to ask him" _Harry thought and then said out loud

"Draco, would you consider spending the rest of your life with me? I cannot think of my life without you. Marry me?"

Draco couldn't believe his ears. The love of his life was proposing to him.

"Yes." Draco said thrilled and they kissed profoundly. "I would like nothing more." Draco said as they broke the kiss but then added "Well there is one thing I would like more right now.

"What?" Harry asked him happy.

"Sleep." Was all Draco said and Harry laughed.

As they were getting out of the Great Hall and heading for Harry's bed Draco said

"You know Harry? If someone would have told me four years ago that I would fall in love with Harry Potter and he would fall in love with me. And that we would kill Voldemort together and then live happily ever after, I would have considered that person mentally unstable. But it's clear to me now that there is a thin line between hate and love.

TBC

Author's note: This is it folk. The last chapter directly linked to the story line. The last one will be an epilogue. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. I personally hate how long Draco's speeches' always get. I just can't control it. What do you think? Review please and let me know.


	19. Epliogue

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Please don't sue I don't have any money  
**Pairing: **Harry/Draco

**Author:** Catium

**Beta: **Moi  
**Rating:** PG –13  
**Word Count: **5858  
**Genre: **Romance/ Drama.  
**Status: **Complete  
**Warnings: **Smut. Slash. Character death (don't make this stop you from reading, please I promise it isn't as bad as it sounds), mention male pregnancy.

**Summary: **What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.

How did the rest of Harry and Draco's life's turn out? Read and find out

**Author's note:** The last chapter is here I am so happy 'cause I have been thinking about this story for four years now and started writing it two years ago. I've got heaps of other ideas that I've thought up so you will see other stories and one shot's from me soon. Hope you enjoy this last chapter and I would love for you all to review and tell me what you thought either of this chapter or the whole story. And finally I want to thank everyone who have read or and reviewed.

Now here is the chapter.

Chapter 19 – Epilogue

_July 31 2018_

"_Dear Diary."_

_ "You were given to me by aunt Ginevra when my birthday was in February. She told me sometime's it was nice to have someone to be your confident and added that she had made sure you were safe. I don't know what she meant by that. I haven't written in you sooner because I really haven't had anything to say. But now I do. I received my Hogwart's letter yesterday. I got in. Of course I do have two Wizard's for dads so why shouldn't I have gotten in? Oh yes I said two fathers that is right. Maybe I should start by introducing myself? My name is Lily Minerva Malfoy-Potter. I have two brother's and one sister. I am the oldest, eleven years old since February. My brother Lucius Albus is nine since May. Then my baby sister Narcissa Molly who is seven next month and at last my youngest brother James Arthur who will be five in November. Our fathers are Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. I just found out those names mean a lot in the Wizarding World. Until few hours ago I just thought my daddy, Harry, and dad, Draco, were normal Wizards. That was until I heard them fight when I was going downstairs for breakfast this morning."_

Lily Minerva Malfoy-Potter woke up on the morning of her daddy's 38 birthday. She knew there was going to be a little get together tonight. Nothing fancy since it wasn't a big birthday but still dinner with the whole family and the closest friends.

_"Which means it's going to be crowded. With aunt Ginny, Uncle Ron their families and everyone" _Lily thought as she got dressed and headed downstairs to have breakfast. She had heard her dads going down around half an hour ago so breakfast should be ready. As she came down the stairs and was about to walk into the kitchen she heard her dads speaking loudly to each other, she had never heard them fight before. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop but she stopped nevertheless peaked her head so she could see her dads and listened.

They were so busy arguing they didn't see her

Dad Draco was pacing on the kitchen floor impatiently, running his hand through his hair frustrated.

"I do not understand why you do not want to tell her Harry."

Daddy Harry was leaning against the kitchen unit with his arms folded across the chest.

"Because, Draco, she, they all deserve a normal childhood."

"And they have a normal childhood we have always managed to keep them protected from the press and the madness that is our lives sometimes. She is eleven years old Harry..."

_"They are talking about me."_ Lily thought _"What are they talking about?"_

"...she is going to Hogwart's this fall. She is going to know within hours of stepping on the Hogwart's express. The kids are going to recognise us on the train station walking her to the train. And someone is going to come and talk to her on the train. And when they know she doesn't have a clue about whom we are, except her dads, they are going to tell her. Do you want her to find out like this? You found out like that and you were in shock. Do you really want her to start the school like that? You are using the same arguments Dumbledore used about putting you in foster care at the Dursley's I suppose you want to do that next. So our children will not be raised by wizards. Two men. Imagine that the corruption." Draco spat.

"That is not fair Draco. I don't want that and..." Harry sighed. "...I don't want Lily to find out from stranger whom we are. She knows I am an Auror and that you are the Minister of Magic but I am not sure she realizes what your position means. We should tell her. Tonight. And James, Narcissa and Lucius, we should tell them too. Not the whole gruesome truth but the important things. I've been protecting them too much. They need to know something, before anyone else tells them."

"They are all going to learn the whole gruesome truth when they go to Hogwart's anyway. The Victory over the Dark Arts is a part being taught now in the History of Magic in first year. Rose told me she was learning about us last year."

"She was?" Harry asked amused.

"Yeah, apparently the History of Magic book was updated a few years ago, remember when she, Hugo, Hermione and Ron came to dinner during the Christmas break and she was all weird. She was uncomfortable around us. I told her we were still the same Harry and Draco only a bit more...famous."

Harry snorted. "Yeah...famous, that is an understatement, try legendary." Harry stood up from the unit and walked to Draco, giving him a hug and a kiss and muttering in his ear.

"I am sorry about what I said mon amour."

"It is all right mon chéri. All is forgiven. I understand your point of view."

Lily withdrew herself from the doorway and stood in the hallway with her mouth open for a while. Famous. Legendary. Her dads? What were they on about? She then gathered her thoughts and decided to go to Rose for a visit after breakfast...and get that History of Magic book. She walked into the kitchen and smiled at her dads like nothing was out of the ordinary

"Good morning." She said happily and took a seat.

_ "I went to Rose after breakfast, diary, and asked her about her History of Magic book. She got all weird and said I shouldn't read it but I told her I wanted to and told her about what I heard my dads' say. She gave it to me reluctantly and I read the Victory over the Dark Arts part. And now I know...my daddy is legendary. Like he said. He was destined to kill Voldemort, the greatest Dark Wizard that ever lived. And he did. Dad helped him and he's quite the legend himself he has done a lot of thing during his six years as Minister of Magic, the youngest Minister of Magic ever by the way. But before that Dad supported that guy Voldemort...but he turned from Him. Then my dads' fell in love after dad had turned from Him, and got together. And after killing Voldemort they got married and had me. I knew that of course. _

_Daddy gave birth to me. Wizards can do that, get pregnant by using magic and potions He wanted to do that. But he wasn't willing to carry another child, told me it was really difficult, guys aren't built to have children. So my brother Lucius was carried by dad. He wasn't willing either to carry another child. So James and Narcissa were adopted. But still we all look a bit alike. I've got my dad's straight platinum blond hair and daddy's emerald eyes. They often say that the boys won't leave me alone when I get older. Eh... who want boys anyway? Not me. Not yet anyway... but dad tells me I will soon enough. Hope he's wrong... anyway... Lucius has daddy's black hair, that always looks like he has been walking through a tornado, and dad's silver gray-blue eyes. Narcissa looks the least like the rest of us. She's got red hair and light brown eyes. Dad used to tease daddy about that she was the illegitimate child of his and aunt Ginny until daddy snapped one day and screamed at dad to stop being such a bastard. He would never cheat on him. This is another thing I am not supposed to know. I eavesdrop... a lot... it is a flaw...and I know way too much of things I shouldn't know. James on the other hand has a blond hair, not platinum blond but normal blond, and blue eyes. Really blue eyes. Both James and Narcissa were adopted from a Wizard orphanage and they have already shown signs of having magic._

_But none of us knew. Our dads are famous. I understand why they didn't tell us about this. Like daddy said. To give us a normal childhood. But I am going to tell them I know about this after Dad get's home from work. Daddy is having his summer vacation. Dad is too busy to have one, he can have a day and day off but nothing more. Now I understand why. He is the Minister of Magic. Which is the most important job in the Wizarding Britain. Like I said I understand why they didn't tell my, but I am still not going to act like it didn't hurt me that they didn't tell me about this sooner. I am eleven years old for Merlin's sake, the same age dad was when he met Voldemort the first time. I deserved to know this and I am going to tell them that. Nonight."_

The rest of the day Lily spent reading everything she could about her dads in the History of Magic book, Rose had lent her. She even found some books hidden in the library that had information. Around five o'clock Lily heard her daddy calling her. Lily went downstairs and her daddy was sitting in the living room with James in his arms and Lucius and Narcissa sitting on the floor playing.

"Hi darling." Her daddy said. "I was wondering if you could help your dad and find Lucius's dress robes and help him get dressed while I dress James and Narcissa. Could you?"

"Yes daddy I can." Lily replied. "When is dad coming home?" She then asked wanting to tell her dads she knew sooner rather than later.

"He is coming home around six, bit earlier than usual, and helping me with the dinner. It is going to start around eight so people should start getting here around seven. Although I have to say I am not sure how much help he's going to be. Never been too good with the cooking."

"He never had to cook while he crew up. Had he?" Lily asked her daddy. "There used to be houseelves in the Manor that did everything for him, aunt Claudia, Grandma Narcissa and Grandpa Lucius right?"

"That's right."

"How many people are coming?"

"Narcissa, Severus and Claudia are coming from the Manor. Molly and Arthur. Ron and Hermione, with Hugo and Rose eh... Ginny with her husband and girl."

"You mean Georgia?"

"Yes Georgia. Who else? Remus will be here "Wouldn't miss it" were his words. Bill and Fleur and their three kids are in France so they won't be here. Charlie will come...solo like usual. Percy is working and his wife and their two children are at her parents. And Fred and George are busy at the shop with their families. So those 13 with us six will make 19 people. So a pretty small party this year."

"Well we won't have to move the party to the Manor like when you and dad had your birthday parties joined together when you turned 35." Lily said smiling a bit.

Her daddy laughed at that memory. "We were crazy thinking we could host nearly a 100 people here in Grimmauld Place. This house is big but not that big. Now go on and get your brother dressed. We need to hurry up."

"All right daddy." Lily said and dragged a protesting Lucius behind her up the stairs to get him and herself dressed.

Three hours later all the guests had arrived and everyone were gathered around the big kitchen table at Grimmauld place.

Draco and Harry had moved at Grimmauld Place after Hogwarts' when it was of no use for the Order anymore and finished fixing it up. Making the place resemble it glory days without all the Dark Arts articles. They usually stayed there all around the year, letting Narcissa, Severus (they had started dating around a year after Lucius's death and got married two years later) and Claudia (living there with her boyfriend but planning on moving out soon) staying at Malfoy Manor. That too had been cleaned of all Dark Art objects and made more children friendly. "For the grandchildren." Narcissa had said and Draco had blushed since he and Harry hadn't discussed children at that point, they didn't discuss them until seven years later and finally at the age 27 had Lily.

Now the nineteen persons were eating and chatting happily. The kids sitting at one end and the grown ups at another. Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur, like Lily called them despite them not being her real grandparents, were happily taking care of their grandchildren, giving the parents a bit of a break. Now Grandma Molly asked Lily a question.

"Your dad told me you got the Hogwarts' letter yesterday. Are you looking forward to going?" Lily noticed Grandma Molly looked at her dads with a weird look, clearly she did not approve of them not telling her about who they were. She saw that at least her daddy had the good grace of blushing slightly.

"Yes I am Grandma Molly." Lily said happily. "Dad and daddy have told me a lot about it. I am especially looking forward to learning History of Magic. It is supposed to have gotten a lot better since that ghost quit teaching it. I'm also looking forward to making new friends. I hope people will like me."

"Oh I don't think people, not liking you is going to be a problem." Rose muttered into her soup and Georgia gave her a nudge in the ribs.

"Rose!" Uncle Ron hissed and Lily noticed how the grown ups all tensed a bit and looked nervously at each other.

"_They all know."_ Lily thought and got angry._"They all know that us, the siblings don't know about our dads and still no one's told us. Not even my cousins." _Lily stopped being angry. Instead she got furious. She slammed her spoon down, that she had been holding in her hands and stood up fast, and swiped her hand on the table.

Her dads both half stood up clearly in awe at her sudden outburst.

"Lily sweetheart. Is something wrong?" Her dad asked her.

"You didn't tell me!" Lily hissed. "All this years. You were thinking about letting me find out from strangers at school. In History of Magic. I understand you two not telling me when I was little but when I got old enough...nine or ten? Why not? You didn't have to tell me everything. Just something. The important things. Like you are going to do now with Lucius, James and Narcissa after you told me. But it is too late now. I know most of it."

Lily had carried the four books she found in the library, and the History of Magic book with her downstairs and hidden them, now she dragged them from under the table and put them on the table one by one. Their names were:

"_Modern Magical History."_

"_The Chosen One – Harry Potter's memoir"_

"_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts."_

"_The History of Magic." _1

"_From Dark to Light – Draco Malfoy's memoir"_

Draco and Harry started at the books in shock.

"But how?" Harry asked

"I heard you fight this morning." Lily screamed. "I heard you saying things like legendary and how Rose had been reading about you in History of Magic. So when I visited her this morning I forced her to allow me to read the book. Then I found these hidden in the library and read them too." She looked at her daddy with tears in her eyes and said with a surprisingly much of sarcasm for an eleven year old. "It is a really good feeling, learning about your daddy's grandparents from a book, that they were murdered, that your daddy was raised by muggle relatives that neglected him and finally when he escaped from them, he found out he was chosen from before birth to defeat the greatest Dark Wizard that ever lived and finally did." Then she turned to her dad. "Or that your dad was beaten by his father from age seven, brainwashed to believe all Muggle borns were beneath him, forced to join this Voldemort's Death Eater's gang and then changing sides, falling in love with your daddy along the side, helping your dad defeating this Voldemort. And before becoming friends you were arch nemesis, that you hated each other."

Draco, Harry and everyone at the table were flabbergast. The usual smooth talked Draco even didn't know what to say.

"That is right." Lily said. "I know everything now. Been reading about it all day."

"Lily honey we told you that we used to..." Draco started when he got over his shock a little.

"You told me that you used to not get along. There is a long way from that and arch nemesis. From hate. Well I HATE YOU!" Lily screamed and ran to her room.

_July 31 2018. Evening._

_ Dear Diary_

_ "I am never going to talk to my parents again or forgive them for this. I hate them."_

_August 1 2018. _

_Dear Diary_

"_My dads came to my room this morning. They left my alone all evening to calm down. After I went to my room I heard everyone leave and heard my dads talking to Narcissa, Lucius and James. James try to come to my room but dad told him not to. Then I heard him say "But I want to tell Lily that you and daddy are famous." "She knows baby boy." Dad then said and sounded sad. _

_They came this morning and we had a long talk. They told me...everything...their version. Those memoirs were written without their permission so the picture I got with reading them was kind of...distorted. They told me they never wanted all this fame and they didn't want us kids to grow up with the press constantly following us, so they got it through that the press were to leave them alone while we were with them. But they also told me that when we are not around...then it is like they can barely take a breath without it being on the news. I wouldn't want that. I have forgiven them."_

_September 1. 2018_

_Dear Diary._

"_I started Hogwarts today. I was sorted into Gryffindor. I know daddy will be pleased but I think dad might be a bit disappointed, he was hoping I would be a Slytherin like him. It isn't such a bad thing being sorted into Slytherin anymore. My daddy told me it used to be considered the worst house to be sorted in and dad told me it was. But after the war it got better. And now it is just as good as the other houses. My dads were right when they said everyone would notice them, taking me to the train. I got surrounded by people when the train was on its way. But my cousins Rose, Georgia, Molly, Victoire, Dominique, Louis and Fred (Uncle George's son) helped me. But during dinner they all sat elsewhere and soon I started to talk with a muggle born girl and twin boys who are a little weird but they do seem to like me for me and are nice, so is the girl. The twin boys' names are Lorcan and Lysander_2_ and the girls name is Anne. I think we will all become good friends."_

_November 29. 2019_

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Sometime other people drive me crazy. Well everyone except Anne and the twins. They are my best friends. I still hang out with Rose but she is a year older than me and has her own friends. My other cousins don't bother me either _

_It is the people trying to become my friends because I am Harry Potter's and Draco Malfoy's daughter. A lot of people keep asking me about all those stories in the newspaper's, if those stories are really true. Gossip stories about my dads, usually nasty one's._

_Like today a fifth year Ravenclaw girl came walking up to me holding Witch Weekly. She asked "Is this true Potter?" and showed me the front page. The head line read "Draco Malfoy cheating on Harry Potter with a women?" and the picture showed my dad hugging a women. The picture was really blurred but I recognised the women and couldn't stop myself from laughing in that stupid girls face and telling her. "No this is a lie. I know that women, that is my dad, Draco's half sister." The girl was clearly offended by me laughing at her. "I don't believe you." She said. "You are just covering for them, not wanting everyone to know their marriage is falling apart." I go pretty mad and hissed at her. "If you don't believe me look it up. You can read about my family in the approved memoirs from my dads that they published this summer." Then I walked away._

_I try to pretend I don't get mad when people ask my stupid things like this. But I do and I get upset. I should start getting used to this soon. Rose told me when I told her about this, that a day barely goes by without the tabloids publishing some story about my dads cheating on each other, or treating each other badly. She reads the tabloids so she knows. I don't know unless someone asks me. Which happens regularly now. Last year a lot of people were too shy to ask me about those things but now people are used to me and I can't go through the day without being asked about something. Drinking problems...drug problems...abuse...cheating...flying drunk...the list keeps going on. And that is not the worst thing._

_A week ago Witch Weekly published a story about Narcissa. Where they actually asked the question if she was the illegitimate child of my daddy and aunt Ginny? Like my dad sometimes used to tease him about, but I have already told you that. Dad and daddy went crazy. They had a press conference, for the first time since the war and gave the press the adoption files, where the biological mother of Narcissa is named. She got killed in a flooing accident and was definitely her mother, so the press apologised. But dad told me in a letter, that since I started Hogwart's and they told all of us siblings, about them being famous, the press has been publishing short stories about us. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's children. Mostly basic stuff about who we are with pictures and stuff. But this one was the first bad one. "I think...", dad said in the letter,"...that since you kids know about our pasts, the press thinks they are free to publish trash stories about you. But my and your daddy are going to prove them wrong." Then dad sued Witch Weekly for reputation dispatch. That will show them"_

_ June 17. 2020._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Something really funny happened this morning. I was having breakfast and daddy was helping James having something to eat. All of sudden we heard a scream from upstairs. Dad then came running down the stairs holding something between his fingers. He walked to daddy and showed him something that looked like a hair."Look what I found Harry." He said. "A hair?" Daddy asked him. "It is really nothing to worry about." "IT IS GRAY!" Dad yelled. "I got gray hair."_

_ "Daddy started laughing and so did we all. Even James whom I am not sure realised what this is about. Then daddy pulled dad down into his lab. "How can you tell? Your hair is so blond." He asked him. "I just can." Dad said still sounding upset. Daddy gave him a hug and kissed him firmly which put James, Narcissa and Lucius into a fit of giggles. Then daddy said. "I don't care if you get gray and wrinkled I still love you. Dad kissed him back but then asked "Wrinkles" and started feeling his face. "I got wrinkles?" Daddy soothed him once again and said "Not yet drama queen._

_ My dads are so cute together. And according to my friend Anne who is staying with me they are still and now I quote. "Drop dead gorgeous." I thankfully don't share that opinion because that would be sick. But I know a lot of people agree with her. They keep getting hit on by complete strangers everywhere we go. Even when they are together. They always get really embarrassed and grab each other hands so people will get they are together. And usually people do. But sometimes they have to get mean to get rid of the most aggressive persons. Like dad said the other day after he told daddy that his assistance in work hid on him. "We have been married for almost 20 years now. If I wanted to cheat on you I would have done it already."_

_February 14. 2024_

_ Dear Diary._

_ "I am so happy. I have started dating Lysander. He isn't as weird as he used to be. Now he's just odd in a cute way. I am so happy. Lorcan and Anne have started dating and look really happy. That makes me glad."_

_September 3. 2024_

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Great aunt Minerva whom I am named after died today. Her funeral is scheduled after three days. I will miss her very much."_

_May 31. 2025_

_ Dear Diary_

_ "My, Anne, Lorcan and Lysander graduated from Hogwarts' today. Anne and Lorcan also got engaged. They have been planning to for a while but now they went for it. I am happy for them._

_I introduced Lysander to my dads. They seemed to like him but they got a weird expression on their faces when I told them his last name. Daddy asked Lysander if Luna Lovegood was his mother and when he said yes their expressions got even weirder. Then dad said "Your mother was a year behind us when we were in Hogwarts. She made quite the impression." Then he laughed a bit and daddy had to give him a light punch on the arm. They often act immature...they are men after all, but I have hardly ever seen them acting like this. Lysander thankfully wasn't insulted, he simply said. "Mom has told my and Lorcan about how she was in Hogwarts' so I understand that you remember her."Dad and daddy started laughing and daddy said. "I've always liked your mom but she is quite the character." Lysander answered him by saying "You are one talking about characters. You are the Harry Potter and is married to the greatest Minister of Magic Britain has ever known, Draco Malfoy. If anyone are characters then it is you two." Dad and daddy looked at each other and daddy said "I suppose you are right Lysander."_

_June 5. 2025._

_ Dear Diary. _

_ "Dad's 45'th birthday was today and the closest family was invited. Lysander chose that opportunity to propose to me. I said yes. We will get married in the fall. I like the colours then."_

_August 9. 2025._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Grandma and Grandpa Weasley got sick with the Dragon Pox a few days ago and yesterday they both died with only a few hours interval. I cried for hours but today I just feel empty. The whole family is in ruins. The funeral will be tomorrow. I wished they could have been at the wedding."_

_ September 15 2025._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "My and Lysander got married today. Everyone looked so happy for us. And during the wedding party I dragged my dads to the side and told them the good news. That I am one month pregnant. They were thrilled although dad complained that he wouldn't be able to tell everyone he is only thirty when he is a grandfather. Daddy also said I was a little too young. That I was only eighteen. I just told them I had to start early because they had me so late. Then they both laughed and gave me a hug._

_ 17 may. 2026_

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Today I gave birth to a beautiful little baby boy. I named him Sirius Rolf. Sirius was daddy's godfather that got killed the year daddy got fifteen. Daddy has told me a lot about him and that he always wanted to name one of us kids Sirius but didn't get the opportunity. And Sirius sounded like such a great guy that I wanted to name my son after him. Lysander agreed. Then we named him Rolf after Lysander's dad. When daddy and dad came to look at their grandson I told them what I had named him. Daddy started crying when I told him. _

_Dad has finally retired from being the Minister of Magic after fourteen years and has been moved. He is in charge of a small comfortable office within the Ministry were he can just drop in every once in a while. He loves it. Daddy is now in charge of the Auror's office. A comfortable desk job, but he still goes along if there will be any action. He likes a little action every once in a while."_

_ September 29. 2057._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Great Uncle Remus was buried today. During his werewolf transformation a few days ago he died. He just couldn't handle it anymore. Despite the Wolfsbane it still took a lot out of him, transforming every month since very young age, his body just gave up. He reached the respectable age of 97. Which is really good for someone with lycanthropes. He was buried in Godric's Hollow cemetery. A stone away from my grandparents, Lily and James. Daddy and dad had a stone put up there few years ago. In memory of Sirius, dad godfather, since his body disappeared. He is next to my grandparents. Remus is next to Sirius. Daddy said something about Remus managing to live a full life. That he was one of the lucky ones. Not one of those killed before their time. I know he was thinking about his parents and Sirius. Dad hugged him and said. "Now they are all together. The three true Marauders." He is right. Pettigrew doesn't deserve to called a Marauder. "I love you mon amour." Dad then whispered to daddy. "I love you too mon chéri."_

_ April 2. 2062_

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Today Sirius finally made me a grandmother. I am 55 years old and he is 36. It took him a while to find a wife that could stand his prankster nature. When I told my dads about this they laughed and said it was my fault for naming him Sirius. His namesake was a prankster so the boy was bound to be one too. This means my dads are great-grand fathers. But not for the first time but the fourth. Both Lucius's and Narcissa's oldest children have had their one children. Which makes my dads descendants sixteen. _

_I got a son and a granddaughter. Lucius got twin's, boy and a girl. And they both have children. Which makes Lucius a grandfather twice at the age of 53. Not fair. Narcissa has three children, two boys and a girl and her oldest son has a son. James has two boys but no grandchildren which is all right since he is only 49. Dad and daddy are thrilled. All their grandchildren and great-grandchildren love them and there is someone visiting them every day. At the age of 82 they are still very lively. They travel outside and inside of Britain. They now live in Malfoy Manor. When grandma Narcissa died last year, outliving her Severus by two years, they moved there and gave me Grimmauld Place. My and Lysander live there now. So does Sirius and his wife and daughter. I am glad that the house stay's in the family."_

_April 6. 2088._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "It was bound to happen sooner than later but nothing really prepares you when death comes. Daddy died today, a natural cause. He almost managed to become 108. Getting high into your 200 isn't unheard of in the Wizarding World but unfortunately that is more common amongst, as ugly as it is to say, pure bloods. Their pure magic blood prolongs their lives. My daddy wasn't pureblood. Dad is devastated. He hasn't stopped crying since he couldn't wake daddy up this morning. The press has gotten their teethes into this. Publishing articles about daddy's life. After dad sued them all those years ago the publicity diminished a lot and the tabloids moved on to new targets. They are leaving us alone still. Probably afraid of another law sue. But they are publishing those article's. Dad told me to allow them to do it in peace as long as they stayed with facts. He then added. "I just wished those articles could have been about both of us not just my beloved Harry."_

_ September 16. 2088._

_ Dear Diary._

_ "Dad died today. He lost the will to live after daddy died. Kept talking about wanting to join his chéri. Now he has. I take great comfort in believing that they are together in death as they were in life."_

Fin

**Author's note: **This is it people, the last chapter. Those diary entries are specially chosen out of Lily Minerva Malfoy-Potter diaries over the years. Hope you enjoyed and would love to hear your opinion of this chapter.

1 Both the Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and the History of Magic book had been updated recently so Lily was able to read about her dads in it.

2 That is right. Luna's twin boys. I am using our Queens' Rowling work to help me with this


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